Leader of a traveling gypsy band from the steppes of Bessarabia (now Moldova), Toma Alistar is a skilled violinist whose fame takes him on tours around European capitals and royal courts. He remains obsessed with his first love, beautiful Leanca who was married elsewhere while Toma was traveling, and spends his life and fortune trying to find her.
Immediately after the war, veteran Vasile Karuntu came to the machine-building plant where Ion worked, who soon became a foreman. They both fell in love with Maria, but she married Vasile. With Maria, he created a family, raised four children, three of whom are adopted orphans. And now, many years after the first rivalry, the management of the plant releases Jonah from the foreman and appoints Vasile instead...
Young Venka investigates the cause of death of a fellow villager during the Great Patriotic War - in the process uncovering a traitor who has been murdering witnesses to his own inglorious past.
