A woman of considerable spirit, Erica is rather reluctant to move into Leicester Gardens. There she is surprised by what she finds: ambition and rivalries ruling the dining room, and yet there are possibilities for new friendships, too. One of these friendships is with the elegant Maria. Though her marriage survived both a war and an affair, Maria is haunted still by her memories of that dramatic time. Some of these she will recount, and others she keeps secret.