When Maria's husband a vet, is killed in a road accident, her one aim is to keep the practice going for Sim, her young stepson. Herself a vet, she works tirelessly, earning the admiration of all in the little Highland town. And then the Castle, vacant since the death of the old Laird, is bought by an international syndicate, and Allan Falconer, a Scottish director, arrives to put their plans into action. Maria's premises are on a lease from the Castle and the future looks menacing, but why can she not consistently detest Allan, and why does she find herself sometimes envying Laura, the architect he has brought with him?