An impetuous young woman rejects a steady suitor after a passionate garden quarrel, setting off a sequence of revelations, misunderstandings and longings. The narrative follows her restless search—bringing her to foreign towns, festivals and cathedral precincts—while wartime upheaval and encounters with convalescents and relatives impose practical responsibilities. Along the way she receives help from distant friends, uncovers clues about identity and attachment, and must reconcile romantic ideals with quieter loyalties. The plot traces emotional maturation through travel, family letters and caretaking, arriving at clarified feelings and final partings.