Alethia Debchance, a sheltered young woman from a remote hamlet, embarks on a journey to visit her cousin Robert Bludward after the death of her aunt. Having lived a life of isolation and limited social interaction, Alethia is both excited and apprehensive about this new adventure. As she travels by train, she overhears local farmers discussing Robert's unscrupulous character and his controversial political ambitions, which heightens her anxiety.