Griffith Hempstead, an up-and-coming young banker, has received a plum assignment: assessing the value of Linton’s Cross, as part of the financial review of the Linton estate. It means spending Christmas away from home, but since his life isn’t populated with vast numbers of friends and family—Ballinger Bastards tend toward quiet lives—he accepts the commission without demur. He does not, however, expect to find Lady Helen in residence, nor does he expect to find himself thrust into the midst of family conflicts, theatrical performances, or passionate trysts, some of which—to his utter shock—are his own.