Highbury & Islington Summary

Adam, a young banker living in Islington with his bohemian lover of eight months, Heather, has for the first time screwed up his courage and is taking her home to Sussex to meet his widowed mother and sardonic younger sister, Louise. He has already visited Heather's downtrodden family several times. Every other weekend he visits his wealthy, proper family and talks about his work but says little about his personal life, which differs so dramatically from their own. On the train, Adam worries about the impression that liberated Heather will make, reading sexy magazines and lounging with her feet in his lap. He has provided a potted plant for her to give Mother as a gift; Heather would not think it appropriate to give something to a stranger. When Adam warns that they must have separate bedrooms, Heather responds that she...