Lavinia and Derek Manton had had a happy though childless marriage for a number of years, and they were still comparatively young when, without any warning, Derek died. Without warning - and without preparation - as Lavinia discovered when after a few days she had pulled herself together and begun to go through her husband's belongings. For in a rosewood box she discovered a secret that Derek had known about for many years but had kept even from his wife; a secret that was to bring into her life young Sheila Martineau, Sheila's mother, and two men who were both interested in Sheila. And it was to change Lavinia's life and that of several other people as well.