On a visit in the Norman countryside at the week-end, a young English woman, Helen Wells, who is looking for a country place to rent, is offered assistance by a Frenchman, Philippe Mansart, who is joining a hunting party later. Among the party, which includes supposedly respectable and influential locals, are the two Danville brothers, who come across Helen and assault her in a disused barn, before she manages to shoot one of them and escape. Fearing a damaging scandal rising, the hunters, who are not the honest, friendly bunch of men they might have seemed to be at first, think of making a deal with the unfortunate woman: her freedom in exchange for her silence over what actually happened. However, when Paul Danville dies of his wound after being shot, all the hunter fellows decide to stick together to preserve their image and reputation as a clan. Despite the reluctance of some of them, the party eventually agrees to hush up the affair and set off to track down the woman, who has become their new prey.