It is Ida's eighty-sixth birthday - a milestone she would rather not have reached. Her family has gathered to celebrate with a birthday tea. After tea is cleared the family disperse leaving Katherine remembering a pact she made with Ida not to let her suffer into old age. She helps her out of her misery and into the next world. Returning to find a mercy-killer in the house the family proceed to reveal a panorama of English mores at their hilarious worst.