It is 1898, and on the brink of a new century, the great stability of Victorian England is under threat. Europe is dividing into armed camps, while at home socialism and the suffragette movement challenge traditional values. At Morland Place, Teddy begins to restore the estate to its former glory, while his sister Henrietta's family fill the house with life, and nephew Bertie finds a haven from the strictures of his own home. As Victoria's reign draws to a close, war with the Boers becomes inevitable. Young men volunteer in droves, among them Henrietta's beloved "extra son" Bertie. The Tommies march off singing, eager for a scrap; but what horrors will face them under the burning South African sun, and which of them will come marching home again?