The novel opens with Jehane Benares marrying William Barrington's friend, setting off a chain of complex relationship dynamics. Jehane enters marriage out of a desperate fear of spinsterhood, hoping for passionate romance, but finds only cold intellectualism mirroring her parents' loveless union. Meanwhile, William Barrington marries the gentle Nan Tudor, building a stable, prosperous family life centered around their children, Peter and Kay. Jehane eventually marries Ocky Waffles, an ineffectual, boastful, and dishonest man whose financial schemes and weakness lead to utter ruin and disgrace.
As Ocky's frauds catch up with him, he becomes a hunted fugitive hiding in the stables of the Barrington estate. Ten-year-old Peter, possessing a rich imagination and a fierce, pure devotion to his family, discovers his uncle in hiding. Driven by innocent loyalty and a deep need to protect those he loves, Peter secretly feeds and shelters Ocky, defying his father and shielding the fugitive from the law. Through this ordeal, the novel explores the stark contrast between adult compromises and the absolute purity of a child's compassion. The story concludes with the quiet resilience of family bonds enduring even the deepest scandals and heartbreaks.
