The beautiful Hebe has been cast out by her family after a teenage pregnancy to a masked stranger during a fiesta in Italy. She makes ends meet and pays for her son's school fees by cooking for old ladies and sleeping with a small syndicate of adoring men (the "peacocks" of the title - from Greek mythology). The story revolves around Hebe, her "clients" and their families, and set against a backdrop of village life in South-West England. There is a sub-theme of the antiques trade which draws some of the characters together, and ultimately resolves the mystery of Hebe's masked lover.