Margot Macfayden nee Phelps spends the months following her husbands death visiting friends in Greshambury Southbridge & Harefield as she ponders relocating while hoping to avoid again being pre-empted by her aged parents (who to be fair share her feelings). At Harefield we become reacquainted with the Beltons; Mr Belton previously an inconspicuous figure comes into his own as he delivers masterful performances ranging from Old English Squire to King Lear meriting the admiration & amusement of his friends & relatives. We also are fortunate to make the acquaintance of Admiral Prsvb of the Mixo-Lydian Navy which consists of one very out-of-date English gunboat on a lake as he comes to dinner at the Fairweathers with our old friend Gradka the Ambassadress (formerly the Feelings cook). Fortunately in the commonsense view of almost everyone Admiral Phelps & Mrs Phelps follow each other in rapid succession to peaceful & timely ends freeing Margot to accept the long-delayed marriage proposal of Canon (Tubby) Fewling.