The flowery owl pattern on the old dinner service, which Gwyn finds in a loft, obsesses Alison. Its discovery marks the start of an extraordinary chain of events that affect not only Gwyn and Alison, but also her stepbrother Roger. For there's a power stirring in the remote valley that dates from a sad and distant myth - a tragic Welsh legend that has begun to repeat itself. Gwyn tries to shake off his involvement by running away, but he cannot escape, and, as the tension mounts, he is made to realise that only by facing up to the myth can it be resolved.