Sabine looked to have a brilliant career as an eye surgeon, but then family debts put paid to all of her hopes and ambitions. She has a lover, younger than herself, but has become completely disillusioned with him and so in some desperation takes an office job working for Sir Jervis Guyes with a view to putting everything behind her. However, not everything is as it seems, and she soon discovers her new life becomes complicated when she discovers things about her employer beyond those normally open to an employee.