It is July, 1945, Polly, Clary and Louise are now grown and painfully discovering passion, loneliness and loss. Rupert, missing for several years, returns to find his wife Zoe curiously withdrawn. Edward still juggling a wife and mistress, will be forced to choose between them, while Hugh must finally come to terms with Sybil's death. And Archie decides that he must escape from the Cazalets.