Anna's personal life is in crisis. Her marriage is struggling, and thedisastrous affair she began as consolation has now become a millstonearound her neck. The place where she feels most secure is the safe andordered world of the classroom; as a teacher she happily follows therules, works hard and gets results. Then the beautiful Kali arrives in herEnglish group, a girl who is bright, unsettling, vulnerable and in need ofguidance from an older woman. What could be more natural than for a caringteacher to show concern for a troubled pupil? Anna believes the friendshipcan save them both But when that friendship begins to tip over intosomething more intense, Anna finds her professional and domestic livescaught up together in a spiral that threatens to destroy everyone she evercared about.