Thea Osborne embarks on her second house-sitting commis- sion with very few worries. The Phillipses are obviously a lovely relaxed family, and there is little to do but tend an ailing old pony and feed various furry pets and farmyard birds. But it seems she is jinxed. An appar- ent suicide takes place in one of the barns, and her sister turns up with a shocking story about her own home life...