A violent thunderstorm strands young Judy, her father David, and her stepmother Rosemary in the gothic English countryside. Seeking shelter, the trio break into a nearby mansion, where they meet the owners, a kindly older couple named Gabriel and Hilary Hartwicke. Learning that Judy has "lost" her beloved doll Teddy (in fact, the cruel Rosemary threw Teddy into the bushes), Gabriel gives Judy a Mr. Punch doll. Three more people arrive at the mansion, also seeking shelter from the storm: good-natured Ralph and English hitchhikers Isabel and Enid. Gabriel invites them all to stay the night.