A House-Party, Don Gesualdo, and A Rainy June

The story opens on a luminous August morning at Surrenden Court, an elegant manor steeped in Stuart‑era décor and surrounded by gardens that rival those of Hampton Court. The air is scented with fresh roses, coffee and newly‑cut grass, while peacocks glide over stone terraces and the distant woods whisper of hunts to come. Lord Usk, a fifty‑year‑old noble battling a restless liver and a lingering sense of irritation, presides over breakfast alongside his striking wife Dorothy, a Fitz‑Charles who balances genteel poise with a yearning for more carefree moments.

Their marriage, once a passionate union, now feels like a comfortable truce; the couple exchanges sharp remarks when alone but maintain a deep, if weary, affection. With three charming sons and two handsome daughters, they face an upcoming shooting season that brings both anxiety and anticipation, especially after Lord Usk’s recent, regrettable sale of his beloved Scottish estate to an American investor. As the day unfolds, the household’s routine rhythms hint at the personal and social tensions that will soon ripple through the manor’s historic walls.