Pages 1-6 Summary

A beautiful woman brought up in luxury makes the mistake of marrying for love. From that moment on, her life descends into never ending bad luck. Her relationship with her husband quickly disintegrates, and she finds it difficult to give her five children the love they deserve. She tries to make it up to them by showering them attention, but it fools only people looking in from the outside. The children know she finds it difficult to love them.

Nevertheless, she tries to keep up the appearance she is rich - liking nothing more than to lord over everyone else in the town. Though they can't really afford to, the family keeps servants, a nanny and the mother buys all the best toys for her children. It is not enough. The house wants more. At night, the children can often hear it whispering that it...