The main character in the story is Eve who is the younger sister of Clare and Aimee. The girls' parents are stationed in India and have returned to settle the two oldest girls in school when the book begins. As it happens The father dies and the mother remarries a main 13 years her junior and Eve ends up staying in India until she is in her 20's. The story deals with her entitled sister Clare and the misery she causes everyone she comes in contact with.