The play takes place in the shabby, paraffin-lamp-lit living room of Henry Trapp, an elderly, reclusive farmer who supplements his meagre income by taking in bed and breakfast guests. The facilities, as he explains to two new arrivals, are extremely primitive: even electricity is lacking, and hot water is in short supply.
The new arrivals are Roy, (25-35) and Julia (20-30). They are eloping. Julia is the spoilt daughter of a very rich man romantically in love with Roy who is her father's chauffeur: he is cynically marrying her for her money.
Another couple, Adrian (50+) and Myra (45-ish) arrive. Adrian is a clergyman. From the first they display intense irritation and impatience with each other, which they make no attempt to conceal from the younger couple. Events lead to Myra and Adrian being left alone with Roy and Julia respectively: both tell their versions of their disastrous marriage, brought about because Myra married Adrian for his money when he was the heir to a wealthy businessman and has never forgiven him for throwing up his wealth and inheritance by joining the Church.
Their revelations give Julia and Roy - particularly Roy - much food for thought: and Roy states that, if Julia's father cuts her off (as Julia insists he will) there is no future for them. - 'I can't afford you' as he puts it. Julia, furious, slaps his face and drives off. Adrian and Myra join Roy who begs a lift when they leave in the morning.
Left alone Myra and Adrian reveal their true colours - they are actors who, in the pay of Julia's father, have tracked her car and put on a show to produce the desired effect of stopping the elopement. Adrian phones Julia's father to tell of their success. They are jubilant and clearly very much attracted to each other.
Roy returns to try, unsuccessfully to get a deduction in the cost of the room from Mr Trapp now Julia has gone. In their conversation Trapp revelas that he was once married but his wife left him. He tells Roy to ensure that when they leave next day they keep on the hard drive as there is a soft area where an old pond was filled in. Roy leaves. Trapp talks to himself and his gun, revealing that he shot his wife and concealed her in the pond. His sinister laughter ends the play.