In which Anna wrestles with the uneasy complexity of her new household, the unwelcome attentions of Karlchen, and the fraught atmosphere among her guests, whilst tending to the challenges of her estate and the innocent yet embarrassing romantic folly of young Letty's German tutor. All the while, Anna’s thoughtful reflections and attempts at kindness reveal the tender, tangled undercurrents beneath the outward apathy, as she strives to bring peace and understanding to those around her.