The secret love affair between the slave Verluccus and his master Gaius Marcius' sister, Gaia has to end when he must leave Britain and travel to Rome with his master. He does not know he has left Gaia pregnant and she is terrified her husband will discover her crime. Her freedwoman devises a plan which goes tragically wrong and blights Gaia's life.
On the way to Rome Gaius is attacked and left for dead and the missing Verluccus is held accountable.
When he is found he performs an heroic act and is subsequently exonerated and granted his freedom. He begins life as a metal smith and adopts Roman practices becoming very rich. Word comes from Britain that Gaia has been divorced by her husband and Verluccus travels to Britain with Gaius and his father to fetch her home.
She is found to be in a poor state of health but rallies when she learns Verluccus has come. Verluccus has gone to visit his own family who live nearby and there discovers he has a son who was secreted away from Gaia to protect him from her husband. Gaia comes to the native homestead to find Verluccus and discovers the child she thought had died. Together they confess to her father who is furious with them both but is appeased by Gaius and the story ends when their marriage is to take place.