Bright, stylish Katherine is offered a place to study philosophy by Jacob Goldman. She little expects to find herself in the Goldmans’ home, a rambling house in Sussex, while Jacob’s untidy but enchanting wife Jane gives birth to their sixth child. Little Rosie does headstands, stroppy Jonathan goes off fishing and Roger wins her heart by playing beautiful music on his violin. Katherine and Roger embark on a love affair that ends in tears and she leaves for Rome.

Years later, after much heartache of a different kind, she returns and meets the Goldmans again, who enable her to bury the past and face her own promising future.