In 1919, Major Brendan Archer arrives in Ireland to reunite with his fiancÔee, Angela Spencer. Unfortunately, the family home, The Majestic Hotel, is a decaying shadow of its former self, as is Angela. Puzzled by the changes, Archer's attentions are soon drawn to her lively friend, Sarah Devlin, a passionate Irish nationalist. They fall in love, but the Major soon discovers some disturbing aspects about their relationship which threaten to explode into violence.