The new moon with the old - Dodie Smith

When Jane Minton arrives at Dome House as a secretary-housekeeper, she is warmly welcomed into the eccentric country home of the Carrington family: Rupert, a preoccupied businessman and his four unusual children. Richard, the eldest, is a composer; Clare dreams of courtly romance; Drew wants to be a writer; and Merry has her heart set on a career as an actress. Their idyllic existence is shattered when Rupert flees under a cloud, leaving Jane and the family struggling to make ends meet. One by one, the Carringtons flee the nest and search out unusual and resilient ways to adapt to the modern world...