Country Matters

Artist David Masterman has the pleasure of teaching an art class to a group of lovely young women. Three in particular are of interest to him: Ianthe and Katherine Forrest, who have little artistic talent but are both quite attractive, and Julia Tern, whose talents in some areas match his own. There are few young men around as it's just after World War I — and mores are changing. Masterman doesn't see himself as having the temperament to settle down with just one woman, but when one leaves for several months, he wonders if he has fallen in love.

Matthew adjusts to life in Singapore and acquaints himself with his father's rubber trade, but is troubled when he discovers that dubious practices are taking place. After an evening of Singaporean entertainment with the Blacketts, Matthew, exhausted and fever-ridden, finds himself torn between two women, and America joins the war.

At 17 years of age, Leslie Hartop's parents decide the time has come for her to make her way in the world. She moves in with the Hollands who live in a old mill. Mr Holland doesn't use the mill per se and is a scrap dealer by profession. Mrs Holland suffers from the dropsies and spends most of her time in bed either writing to their son, a soldier stationed in Germany, or reading letters he has written. Leslie is hard-working, but also quite innocent. When Mr Holland makes sexual advances, she submits but soon finds herself pregnant.