A young woman haunted by vivid, dreamlike nightmares travels along the sunlit Mediterranean to take refuge with a vivacious, titled relation after the recent death of her guardian. The narrative shifts between bright travel scenes and intimate recollections of childhood attachments, introducing the hostess’s long-absent son and a clutch of personal mementos and letters that reconnect past and present. The tone blends tender nostalgia with a subtle sense of unease as the protagonist adjusts to unfamiliar surroundings and the ambiguous motives of new acquaintances.