A domestic mystery set in a London neighbourhood traces the unsettling deterioration of Henry Hindes, whose chronic pain and mood changes lead his wife to conceal the truth to protect family reputation. Returning relatives begin to suspect something amiss, prompting investigation at home and in his business; tension mounts as colleagues, servants, and kin piece together odd behaviour. The narrative unfolds through interpersonal scenes and revelations, examining secrecy, mental distress, social appearance, and the strains placed on marriage and livelihood as a concealed illness threatens to produce a public crisis.