Hilary struggles to be a worthy replacement to his predecessor, and copes persistent attempts by various people to involve him in scandal. While Hilary deals with his pastoral issues at home, events on the world stage are escalating. His brother Dick, even though the American involvement in the war has not started, volunteers for ambulance service in Europe. Later in the novel Dick dies in the war zone, while Hilary is reconciling with the now-pregnant Lex after a period of conflict, and the attack on Pearl Harbor takes place, causing the gradual departure of young men from Hilary's parish into the Army.