The action of the novel covers the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th centuries. The story of four generations, their relationships, unfulfilled hopes, eternal human problems associated with love, jealousy, and the search for one’s place in life, create an atmosphere of a very difficult human existence. The main character of the novel is the forerunner of the modern business woman, breaking the traditional foundations of that time. She is the owner of the store, which is what all the family troubles are connected with. Her husband's romantic love for the governess is the main plotline of all the twists and turns.