She becomes more involved with the local town of Mondano and its inhabitants: an aristocrat, a wealthy socialite, and several ex-pats who all seem to be hiding something, and is intrigued about the identity of the villa's absent owner, whom she knows only as "S. Kettering".
As she becomes more immersed in the town of Mondano and its inhabitants, an aristocrat, a high-society figure, and expatriates who seem to be hiding secrets, she finds herself drawn to uncovering the identity of the villa's mysterious owner, known only as "S. Kettering".