The house opposite the church, overlooking the Cornish coast, is home to three generations of Tremains. Fred Tremain, the country doctor who built the house for his wife, Martha (and for whose sake he became estranged from his family); Anna, the difficult, determined older child, now a highly successful lawyer; Barnaby, the easygoing second child, now a vicar to the parish; and the beloved granddaughter, Lucy.

A safe haven for a loving family, especially now that Fred and Martha are growing old, the house and cottage are also the keeper of secrets, solemn and tragic. That is until the day Lucy discovers a hidden cache of papers that brings to light the first of many long-hidden mysteries. As each layer is unwrapped and each secret laid bare, the family is forced to confront its past, to question the price paid for the upheavals caused by violence, wars, and prejudice, and ultimately to unlock the path to new relationships and new loves.