Duncan MacGregor, a Scot, is a veteran of the British army with fifteen years to his credit. On the eve of the Battle of Waterloo, his duty comes to an abrupt end when he is caught in a massive explosion, which leaves him disfigured. If he were taciturn before the event, he is positively reclusive in the aftermath. Luckier than most veterans, he has had the good fortune of being hired as an estate manager for an uninhabited property in the North of England. There he has spent the last four years of his life keeping it in good order while keeping to himself. The owner of the estate, a Londonian lawyer, has found MacGregor to be reliable and sound in his management of the place, so rarely visits the property. The owner, a widower in his forties, lives a contented life in London with his spinster sister and his only child, a daughter whom he loves dearly. MacGregor is taken by surprise when the family suddenly decides they want to spend Christmas in the North. Little do they guess the far-reaching effects it will have on them all.