Arthur Parker is a music salesman with a song in his heart but trouble in his fortunes. On a trip to Gloucester, he meets two people who will change his life: a strange 'gentleman of the road', who plays hymns on a piano accordion and a beautiful young teacher. At home, Arthur's wife Joan waits apprehensively.
As Eileen tells her schoolchildren their favourite fairytale, song salesman Arthur, Prince Charming in the tale, is coming back to make her his princess. He finds her in a magical forest. His wife Joan wonders if she has left him for good and the mysterious accordion player still haunts the story.
Arthur has at last returned home to his anxious, waiting wife, who still cares enough to make a new bargain with him. She reluctantly agrees to finance his record shop.
Arthur and Eileen are both back in London. While he seeks to start his own record shop, country girl Eileen wants the life that begins at Oxford Circus.
Arthur and Eileen have disappeared. Joan is receiving strange visits from a police inspector, and the case of the murdered blind girl is to be opened.
Now wanted for murder, Arthur takes Eileen on the run, hungry, desperate, but still together. They hide in a lonely farmhouse, but he makes a fatal error.