Angela, Petra's niece, is expecting a child with Thomas, the archaeologist; Adèle, the wife of the tenant at Eka gård, Tord Holmström.

Eka is inhabited by Angela's aunt; Agda, a maid and is married to the painter Stellan von Pahlen through a marriage of convenience.

The father of Agda's expected child is Bernhard Landborg, one of the heirs to the neighboring estate Ösa.

The plot is carried forward through flashbacks: Angela is depicted as a young girl at her father's funeral and then an 18-year-old at her birthday party at Eka.

Adèle experiences a romantic love story with Daniel, but due to mésalliance becomes married to the tenant Tord.

Agda is the most cheerful among the three even though she was born into a poor working class and her upbringing is not without any incidence: An older man tries to rape her during her childhood.

On Midsummer Eve 1914, the people of Eka go to the neighboring estate Ösa, which is owned by bank manager Landborg.