Following the shadow of World War I, two women who hardly know each other find themselves drawn into a shared escape from domestic monotony. Rose Arbuthnot and Lotty Wilkins belong to the same ladies’ club, and a newspaper advertisement for renting a small Italian castle catches Lotty’s eye. She approaches Rose with a spontaneous idea: why not split the cost and spend a month away together? At first, Rose is wary, but the thought of a vacation without the pressures of her strained marriage begins to appeal, and they decide to advertise for two reputable ladies to share the expense.
The plan brings them to a refined, if slightly contentious, foursome: the elegant but peevish widow Mrs. Fisher and the stunning, aloof, wealthy Lady Caroline Dester. The contrast between the two pairs is immediate, as the older woman clings to her memories of a glittering circle she once inhabited while the younger noblewoman carries an air of privilege that can feel removing or distant to others.
Rose’s husband, Frederick Arbuthnot, writes erotic novels under a pseudonym, a fact that has driven a wedge between him and Rose. She resents his public indulgences and the circle of literary friends he keeps, all the while unaware that his evenings often circle around Lady Caroline. The situation is delicate: Frederick moves within a world that Caroline herself has known and enjoyed, yet Rose remains oblivious to the possibility that Frederick’s attentions may extend toward her rival.
Caroline, for her part, seeks a month’s retreat from the constant attention her beauty attracts. After years of being the center of attention, she tries to withdraw, at first, and keep to herself among the other renters at San Salvatore. Meanwhile, Lotty’s husband, Mellersh, is a practical and meticulous man who watches every penny. He urges a holiday, yet his mind is on business and reputation, not romance. Lotty, however, fights against a husband who treats the family purse as a ledger, and she quietly makes plans to go—concealing from him that the money for the trip comes from her own saved household allowances.
Mrs. Fisher arrives already set in her routines, a widow who clings to her memories and to the grand names she once met in an exalted circle. She tries to reserve the main drawing room for herself, and her rigid sense of propriety makes the early days at San Salvatore feel tense for everyone else. The clash between Caroline and Mrs. Fisher over status, space, and the distribution of expenses becomes a central tension, while Lotty—quiet, patient, and perceptive—acts as a mediator. Her gentleness gradually reveals how much of their discontent is rooted in the patterns they’ve formed and the energies they’ve allowed to define them.
As the holiday unfolds, Lotty’s subtle influence becomes more evident. She invites Mellersh to join the cast of visitors at San Salvatore, and she nudges Rose to invite Frederick to attempt healing their marriage. The prospect of new alliances—wealthy potential clients for the women and a chance to rebuild a damaged relationship for the Arbuthnots—draws Mellersh into a more cooperative mood. He privately tells Lotty that he will cover her expenses so she can preserve her savings, and in doing so he begins to see his wife as a valuable social asset in a way he never did before.
Into this delicate ecosystem arrives Frederick, having followed Caroline to San Salvatore in the hope of rekindling connections with her, though he does not realize Rose is there. Caroline, who recognizes him from her prior acquaintance with his pseudonym, does not disclose their past link. The moment of recognition when Rose greets Frederick with warmth and a kiss surprises him, and he introduces himself to Caroline as “Frederick Arbuthnot, Rose’s HUSBAND,” without revealing their history. Caroline, cautious and courteous, does not expose the truth of their prior knowledge.
The owner of the villa, George Briggs, makes an unexpected visit and is drawn to Rose, whom he initially mistakes for a war widow. His nearsightedness, a war injury, makes him judge people by character rather than appearance, which intrigues Caroline. Frederick, observing Rose with fresh eyes, begins to see her in a new light as the weekend’s meetings ripple outward.
Caroline’s regard for George deepens precisely because he does not fawn over her. The pair’s walk together becomes a moment of frankness: George’s distress prompts Caroline to share wounds of her own—unhappiness tied to a long-ago fiancé lost in the war. When George trips on a tree root, Caroline reaches out and steadies him, saying, “I had to grab you,” a small yet telling moment that hints at vulnerability beneath her poised exterior.
Toward the end, Mrs. Fisher’s outlook shifts as she grows to value human connection beyond the strict codes she once followed. Lotty and Mrs. Fisher discuss how the group has naturally formed various pairs, and Lotty reassures her that there can be many different combinations of companionship. The two women forge a lasting friendship, recognizing that shared moments can redefine life’s choices.
In this delicate tapestry of shifting loyalties and quiet revelations, the holiday becomes less about an escape and more about seeing each other with new eyes. The villa at San Salvatore becomes a stage where old assumptions melt away, new bonds are tested, and four women—and two men—learn to reconsider what it means to live together, to support one another, and to find a sense of belonging that was missing at home.
