When Jimbo asks his mother, Katherine, to come and live near him in Turnham Malpas, his kindness has rather more repercussions than he anticipated. Before long Katherine is organising the harvest festival display, and causes uproar with her high-handed ways. But Katherine goes too far when she petitions to rid the village of some of its residents. Only Peter, the rector, can control Katherine's more outrageous actions. Finding it hard to resist his natural charm and diplomacy, she gradually begins to mellow as the village works its magic on her...