Harriet Cooper bumps up a rutted lane in a Hillman crammed with everything she owns. She has come to claim her inheritance - a large green bus - left to her by her aunt, and moves in with two cats to live a frugal life, much to the chagrin of her cousin who has inherited the rest of the estate. This novel deals with the lingering trauma of the Second World War and the dark secrets that families carry, as well as being an early advocate of environmental issues.