Katie is a housemaid living in a little town in Western Ireland. Amelia, her mistress, is a vague, well-meaning spinster, equally devoted to tea with scones and the Stations of the Cross. Stanislaus, Amelia’s brother, an architect from Dublin, arrives and decides that he wants to marry Katie. At 19, Katie is not unattracted to Stanislaus, but she’s equally interested in Michael, a handsome local lad of no particular promise. She opts for Stanislaus, but the marriage proves to be a disaster.