The Truth About Women

Having fought ferociously with his wife Diana, Anthony arrives at her father Sir Humphrey's country home - to where he correctly reasons she has fled - in order to have it out with her once and for all. Unfortunately, he finds Diana in London with her stepmother, Lady Tavistock, and Sir Humphrey instead regales his son-in-law with his own tales of romance and what he has learned through his life of the truth about women.

There was his first love, the ferociously independent Suffragette Ambrosine; a marital match missed for one unfortunate breakfast. Then the Middle Eastern beauty Saida, sold and lost to the Sultan of the country Humphrey was stationed in during his long career with the Foreign Office. Paris was his next position, where he became entangled with the beautiful but married Louise - a dalliance that lead to her husband losing his life in a duel.

America and an all-too-brief romance with a title-hunting multi-millionairess's daughter came swiftly after, followed by a chance meeting with painter Helen, Diana's mother, and five happily married years in central Europe before her tragic death bearing their fifth child. Finally, back in England convalescing after sustaining injuries in the Great War, Swedish nurse Julie, a woman with a heart of gold but a mean, vindictive estranged husband.

A true myriad of women, of a variety of backgrounds, ambitions, fears and abilities: but all strong in their own way. It is impossible to live with women, Sir Humphrey reasons: but worse to live without them.