A haunted life

In the bustling heart of London’s newly‑opened season, the Coaching Club gathers beneath the shade of Hyde Park’s trees, its carriage‑filled promenade brimming with expectant society. Amid the chatter and dazzling display of phaetons, two old friends—Jerry Vane, a witty Saxon with a mischievous smile, and Trevor Chute, a dark‑haired officer freshly returned from India—reconnect, each carrying secrets from distant lands. Their banter masks a deeper unease, as bygone wars and whispered promises linger beneath the polished veneer of the fashionable crowd.

As the day brightens, the pair’s conversation drifts from nostalgic school‑yard exploits to a more intimate, unresolved mission involving the enigmatic widow Ida. Jerry’s sardonic charm conceals a lingering cynicism, while Trevor’s hardened demeanor hints at lingering shadows from his tropical service. Together they navigate the glittering tableau of high society, unaware that the very atmosphere they cherish may soon echo with the ghostly reverberations of a life already haunted.