Sir Lulworth and his nephew Egbert engage in a conversation following the funeral of Egbert's great-aunt, Adelaide. As they sit down for lunch, Egbert reveals that he has become the executor of Adelaide's estate, which includes sorting through her papers. Among the mundane family correspondence, he discovers a letter from Adelaide's brother, Canon Peter, written shortly before his mysterious death. The letter hints at a troubling relationship with his cook, Sebastien, who had a violent temper and had threatened the Canon after a dispute.
