After her marriage crumbles, Sarah Thompson tours Europe where she is captivated by William, the Duke of Whitfield. In time, William insists on making Sarah his wife. They settle in a chateau in France and begin a family. World War II interrupts their happiness and alters their future when Sarah is left at home with a small child and another on its way. When the war finally ends, in a gesture of goodwill, the Whitfields start buying jewelry from war survivors, which eventually leads to a successful jewelry store business. But conflicts abound after William dies, as Sarah struggles to control her children’s rivalry. As Sarah strives to keep the family and the business together, a man from her past teaches her that it may be possible to love again.

A title in the Danielle Steel Television Film Series, this four-hour drama unfolds the story of a multi-generational family beginning in the 1930s, based upon Steel’s book of the same name. After her first marriage dissolves, Sarah Thompson (Annette O’Toole) tours Europe and meets the charming William, Duke of Whitfield (Anthony Andrews) who captivates her and persuades her to marry him. They settle in a French chateau until World War II interrupts their marital bliss and William must join his regiment in war, leaving Sarah at home with a child. She contends with losses and loneliness until he returns home. Then, with a touch of serendipity, the couple begins a small jewelry business, which eventually expands into a thriving family endeavor. As her children grow into adults, Sarah’s intentional love toward them is her truest nobility. Though the second of this two-part series degrades, in part, from drama to soap opera, the overall effort receives merit for its notable acting and beautiful cinematography. Some domestic violence and sexuality. (Ages 16 and older) --Lynn Gibson