Anna Hoskins' uneventful life on the smallholding she loves is completely shattered when she discovers Ray, her late husband, once had a mistress. To add to her distress, an unknown young woman, claiming to be the daughter of Ray's affair, suddenly appears on the doorstep, pregnant, and imploring to be allowed to stay. In her developing involvement with Ros and the new baby, Anna learns some hard truths about herself and life, particularly regarding her relationship with Freddie, a long-standing admirer, and Pete, her young employee. She discovers, too, that the laws of nature, learned from working on the smallholding, apply equally to human life; the maturity of growth bringing ultimate satisfaction and happiness to the often bitter seeds of experience.