In which Felix Freeland accepts an invitation to visit his brother Stanley at Becket, bringing along his two children to experience the genteel comforts and peculiar social atmosphere of the Worcestershire country estate. As the family settles into the fragranced rooms and tranquil surroundings, young Nedda observes both the idyllic landscape and her own budding sense of longing for a fuller affection and understanding beyond the walls of this genteel world.