The cultivated Mrs Adela Gereth is worried that her son Owen will marry Mona Brigstock - she considers Mona to be brash and completely unsuitable. Owen soon gets engaged to Mona and expects to take over Poynton, the family's large country house, which is filled with valuable antique furniture, pictures and collections. Mrs Gereth does not want to let go of the house, but she is even more attached to the contents.

Owen asks his friend Fleda Vetch to help him to persuade his mother to clear out of Poynton. Mrs Gereth decides to move to another house on the estate, called Ricks. But she does not plan to lose her favorite pictures and pieces of furniture as well.

Mrs Gereth returns all the best furniture to Poynton, just before Owen and Mona get married, and they go abroad on their honeymoon. Owen writes to Fleda, inviting her to choose one item from the house for herself. She goes to Poynton, but finds it has gone up in flames, along with all of its contents.