After his wifes death, hugh contemplates returning to his former mistress his son, randall, longs to abandon his shapeless marriage for a perfect partner randalls young daughter, miranda, is adored by her australian cousin penn, but has attachments elsewhere her mother ann has her own private dream, while taking upon herself the strains and pains of all the others impelled by affection, lust and illusion, these characters search for love within a tightly woven web