It's 1930 in central Virginia. Elliott Brent is a young attorney seeking to establish himself in his practice, his marriage, and local politics. He's torn between the family farm mismanaged by his brother and the legal practice dominated by his father-in-law. One pro bono assignment entwines Elliott's life with that of a socialite establishing herself as a genealogist. The ensuing decade sees Elliott advance and retreat as World War II looms.