With the money she earns, working day and night, making clothes on a battered sewing machine, violet manages to provide a living for herself and her two daughters in their small home inside the old fortress of the southern port city of galle.

Violet conforms faithfully to the behavior expected of a single mother this traditional, post - colonial, Roman catholic community of the 1960's. Her husband, a boorish, pompous man, who left when the children were very young, visits now and again to see his daughters and to gloatingly remind Violet that she is still his lawfully wedded spouse.

The eldest daughter returns home with her husband to give birth to Violet's first grand child, the younger is attracted to a dashing James dean - like young man on a motorcycle and Violet agrees to see him and his family to arrange a marriage. These two happy milestones in her life are overtaken, one dark night, by the arrival of a message from Violet's first and only love, Victor. He had returned to port after twenty five years of sailing around the world as a merchant seaman. He is not well and needs special treatment. Violet introduces Victor to her family as a distant relative and takes him into her house to provide him with the care he desperately needs. As her recovers from his illness, their love is rekindled. The passions kept hidden for so long, resurfaces, and the relationship is meet with disapproval by family and friends. Violet gets pregnant and is forced to induce a miscarriage. Her younger daughter's engagement is called off. Unable or unwilling to play the guilt- laden role expected of her by an uncompromising and unforgiving society, Violet decides to follow her heart and live happily ever after with Victor. When she finally find this happiness some call it insanity.