Hopeless romantic Gertrud inhabits a turn-of-the-century milieu of artists and musicians, where she pursues an idealized notion of love that will always elude her. She abandons her distinguished husband and embraces an affair with a young concert pianist, who falls short of her desire for lasting affection. When an old lover returns to her life, fresh disappointments follow, and Gertrud must try to come to terms with reality.
Anders returns to Denmark to visit his ill mom too late. Her lawyer tells him he's the illegitimate child of an estate owner. He goes there incognito and works on the big farm and falls for the maid and later for a gold digger.
Helga is on a farm, where she is seduced by her husband, Per Mortensen. As it turns out she is with child, she gets a tough time among local residents. They consider it the greatest shame that can befall a young, unmarried girl. Per refuses bargain to be the father of the child. Her parents can not afford to keep the baby, so she tries to go to court - without result. Fortunately, she gets a new duty station at Torpegaarden where she thrives. In particular, she has a good eye to his son on the farm, Gudmund. He also liked the young girl
