Old Letitia Cutbush lives alone, fiercely independent and insufferably rude to her neighbours, accepting help only from young Rosy Weeks, a "lad" in the racing stable up at Brood House, where the old woman once reigned supreme. In the hands of Letitia's grandson, the once-great stable is now a second-rate yard of hurdlers and chasers, but Rosy dreams of seeing it return to its past glory. Jeremy does too -- if his grandmother leaves him her money when she dies.