The narrative opens with Colonel Tempest returning to his family home to see his dying brother and recalls a long estrangement set off by his relationship with the woman who later became his wife. Through flashback and present conflict, the story traces the breakdown of that marriage, the couple's self-justifying grievances and domestic resentments, and the consequences for their child, Diana. After the brother's death a contested will and legal action intensify the family's disputes. The novel examines pride, selfishness, social appearance, and the ways private faults and misunderstandings produce enduring feuds and moral ambiguity among kin.