
THE PROLOGUE - I
CHAPTER I - THE SOUR FRENCH WINE
CHAPTER II - THE MAN SHE REFUSED
CHAPTER III - THE REGISTERED PACKET
CHAPTER IV - THE GAME: MOUNTJOY LOSES
CHAPTER V - THE GAME: MOUNTJOY PLAYS A NEW CARD
CHAPTER VI - THE GAME: MOUNTJOY WINS
CHAPTER VII - DOCTORING THE DOCTOR
CHAPTER VIII - HER FATHER'S MESSAGE
CHAPTER IX - MR. VIMPANY ON INTOXICATION
In the mist‑shrouded town of Ardoon, 1881, a diligent head clerk named Dennis Howmore is summoned early one morning by his irascible employer, Sir Giles Mountjoy, a banker whose mood is as volatile as the political climate. Without explanation, Sir Giles sends Dennis on a series of secret errands—first to retrieve a broken teacup fragment from a remote milestone, then to sneak a hidden slip of paper from the pages of Gibbon’s Decline and Fall in the local reading room. Each task feels absurdly specific, yet the banker’s insistence and veiled urgency suggest something far more consequential beneath the surface.
As Dennis begrudgingly obeys, the narrative weaves together the everyday rhythms of a small Irish town with whispers of conspiracies, unrest, and personal ambition. The tension between duty and doubt drives him forward, hinting at a larger plot that could reshape the lives of those around him, while keeping listeners on edge as they wonder what secret the banker is desperate to protect.
Language
en
Duration
~12 hours (709K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by James Rusk. HTML version by Al Haines.
Release date
2005-04-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1824–1889
Best known for The Woman in White and The Moonstone, this Victorian storyteller helped shape the mystery novel and kept readers hooked with suspense, secrets, and sharp social observation.
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