After inheriting a property in Devonshire, Elfrida Jane Ware attempts to build a solitary life, only to find her past and the local community constantly intruding on her peace. Seeking to escape the memories of a failed romance and the pressures of her former life as an actress, Elfrida moves to a coastal house that demands more social navigation than she anticipated. She faces the dual challenge of adapting to the rigid expectations of a rural English village while managing her own internal desire for independence. The narrative follows her attempts to integrate into this new environment, often resulting in social friction and unexpected personal growth.

This novel reflects the characteristic charm and gentle pacing associated with D.E. Stevenson's body of work. The narrative relies on the interplay between a fish-out-of-water protagonist and the subtle, often humorous constraints of a small-town setting. Readers typically find the protagonist's gradual adaptation to her new environment to be the primary draw of the story. The work serves as a study in character resilience, focusing on how personal identity is reshaped when removed from one's familiar social context.