In a small provincial town, the boarding-house is run by Mathilde Belin, the overindulging and over-demanding mother of Paul. When she is told by her envious sister Charlotte that her son is having a secret affair with Catherine, a salesgirl, she becomes furious and starts doing everything in her power to separate the lovebirds.
Paul lives in Africa. He leads an honest and calm existence. Until the day when he finds his friend Frankovich dead.
Michel, reporter, finally joins his old isolated cottage in the middle of a park, having spent two years away from home. Our protagonist hopes to regain some serenity, but he does not arrive at the best moment: he did not expect the suicide attempt of Catherine, the wife of his brother Arthur
