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.

Fleda visits Mrs Gereth at Ricks and finds she has furnished it with all the best furniture and pictures from Poynton. Mona Brigstock is angry with what she looks on as this theft. Meanwhile, Owen is now more attracted to Fleda than to Mona and tells Fleda of his love for her - but she says he should honor his promise to Mona, unless she lets him go.