his three-part miniseries begins with elderly Lady Slane (Wendy Hiller) sitting watchfully by the deathbed of her husband. Tended by her equally aged French maid Genoux (Eileen Way), who has served her faithfully for a lifetime, Lady Slane deals with a succession of advice from her large flock of middle-aged children. The family is chagrined by, but honors, her choice to live a modest country retirement at some distance, in Hampstead Heath. Lady Slane competently comes to terms to lease and restore a crumbling house, aided by an aging land agent Gervase Bucktrout (Maurice Denham). Once settled, an acquaintance from 50 years past, Mr. Fitzgeorge (Harry Andrews), visits the cottage to rekindle memories of their brief, deep, but unfulfilled brush as soul-mates in colonial India when Lady Slane was a devoted young wife and mother. Great-granddaughter Deborah (Jane Snowden), who has been trapped by a socially desirable but passionless engagement, regularly visits to confide and seek wisdom.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
 Wendy HillerLady Slane | Lady Slane |
 Harry AndrewsMr. Fitzgeorge | Mr. Fitzgeorge |
 Maurice DenhamGervase Bucktrout | Gervase Bucktrout |
 Phyllis CalvertCarrie | Carrie |
 Graham CrowdenHerbert | Herbert |
 John Franklyn-RobbinsKay | Kay |
 Geoffrey BayldonWilliam | William |
 Faith BrookLavinia | Lavinia |
 Patrick BarlowFoljam - Assistant curator | Foljam - Assistant curator |
 Hilary MasonEdith | Edith |
 Jane SnowdenNot listed | Not listed |
 Eileen WayNot listed | Not listed |
| AAntonia PembertonNot listed | Not listed |
| DDavid WallerNot listed | Not listed |
| AAlan ThompsonNot listed | Not listed |
| JJohn SaundersNot listed | Not listed |
| KKatherine StarkNot listed | Not listed |
 Andrew BurtNot listed | Not listed |
| SSam DaviesNot listed | Not listed |
| JJohn BottNot listed | Not listed |
| DDavid RolfeNot listed | Not listed |
| WWilfred GroveNot listed | Not listed |
| BBill McCabeNot listed | Not listed |