In which the astute and somewhat complacent Lawyer Larkin, suspecting untoward secrets underlying Mark Wylder’s sudden absence, embarks on a meticulous and quietly probing journey through the county, gathering scraps of information with a suspicious eye and a mind weaving dark conjectures. The narrative gently illumines the lawyer’s complex character—a man of sharp perception and self-delusion—whose pursuit of mystery intertwines with his own fragile claims to righteousness and influence.