After Sowelu's sick mother dies, Marika, a gypsy servant who nursed her, is shunted off to a cottage in the woods to have her baby. Marika was Sowelu's father's mistress and embittered by his dismissal of her uses her knowledge of the occult to systematically attack Sowelu,
When Sowelu dies her son Jonathan takes over the business. Like his mother, Jonathan disregards the appalling working and living conditions of the workers. He is enmeshed in his own private battle to erase the stigma of bastard; a legacy for which he never forgives his mother. Jonathan's brother Jason, an artist with a tender heart who adores all women, is unperturbed by his birthright. Jason becomes aware of the plight of the poor through his sketches of London street life. He later joins a friend in the fight to organize the first trade unions.
Sowelu's daughter Regina is drawn into the dark world of witchcraft by an old and ailing Marika. This slowly erodes Regina's mental capacities. After seeing the body of Jonathan's mistress hanging from the rafters, she collapses suffering brain damage. Jason almost kills Jonathan in a fight blaming him for Regina's condition. The brothers are then estranged.
Among other developements SEVENOAKS examines the emotional responses of the characters amidst the breath taking beauty in Africa. Life amongst the artists of Montmartre France. Opium and alcohol addiction, entertainment within the walls of a high priced whore house and homosexuality (At that time a punishable offense).
