In the novel, Beauty by Robin Mc Kinley, the family of a wealthy merchant looses their wealth when the shipment boats get lost at sea. There are three daughters named Hope, Grace, and Honour, whom is nicknamed Beauty, and a father. The family is forced to move to the country and start a life more modest than accustomed. After the family adapts to country life, one of the older sisters gets married to an iron worker who used to work at the shipyard owned by the father. They have babies. Life goes on in the country.

Three years after their arrival in the country the families receive notice that one of the lost boats has returned to port. The father leaves to the city to see if anything could be rescued and before leaving asks his daughters if there was anything they wished from the...