Book 1 begins with William, Mary and Alice arriving at Golden House for the first time during the Christmas Holidays. It's explained that Jack and Phoebe bought the house and plan to eventually turn it into a hotel, there is much work to be done and the majority of the house is not habitable. All three children dislike Jack's pregnant partner, Phoebe. She is presented as having a liberal attitude with a strong influence over Jack, where the children have a much more traditional and conservative outlook. The children find out Jack and Phoebe are vegetarian, and despite the children not being so, they are expected to respect their lifestyle while at the house. The children are also shocked that Phoebe is pregnant and the baby is expected shortly, consequently will be born out of wedlock.