It is October 1914, and the war is not going well. The Germans are smashing through Belgium, and the allies are in retreat. Hazel Bellamy, a young woman on a committee with Lady Prudence Fairfax, is tasked with finding temporary homes for the 5000 or more Belgian refugees who have come to Britain. Feeling an obligation to set an example, she agrees to take in a family, expecting an aristocratic family of three, but receives an extended family of five peasant farmers who speak no English. They move into the servants' quarters, but the language barrier proves to be a bit much for both sides. The servants find the refugees odd in their tastes and their refusal to take a bath particularly offends them. A rescue comes from Georgina, who returns from a weekend away and has been schooled in Switzerland, where she speaks fluent French. The refugees tell her their horrific tale of death and terror at the hands of the invading Germans, creating a greater understanding and a degree of empathy between the two groups.