Life for the newly widowed Harriet Capel is not expected to hold any surprises. It will be spent watching over the vicissitudes of her children's marriages and relationships, and looking after the grandchildren. That is, until she sees Oliver Gaunt again. He is her daughter-in-law's father. The relationship between the parents-in- law has always been difficult since their children's wedding day and few words have been spoken. When they meet, they do not at first recognise one another, but the physical attraction between them is powerful and instantaneous. As their love affair gathers intensity and pace, so do its consequences for the family as a whole.