February, 1927. The remains of an unidentified man are found beneath the snow in the grounds of Maxtead Court, home of the wealthy Scroope family. Meanwhile, Margaret Rees Talbot is preparing for her wedding to the Rev Symon Scroope, to the disapproval of some residents of the town of Folbury, who think its too soon after the death of Margarets father Osbert, found drowned in his bath a few months previously. An accident or was there more to it than that?