By Right of Purchase

Leland, a weary traveler from the wide prairies of western Canada, finds himself a guest at Barrock‑Holme, a crumbling Scottish manor perched on a bleak ravine. The stone tower, ancient dry moat, and moss‑covered walls evoke a landscape of legends that feels oddly familiar to his own rugged homeland. As he leans on the terrace, cigar in hand, he watches the distant marshes and wonders whether the estate, slated to pass to young Jimmy Denham, can survive its mounting debts.

The host, Lieutenant Denham, is a cultured yet oddly delicate young man who invites Leland into the slow‑moving life of the estate—billiards, tennis, and the occasional poker game. Their banter reveals a clash of sensibilities: Leland’s hard‑won pragmatism against Denham’s genteel, almost aristocratic habits. Beneath the polite conversation, the looming threat of creditors and the weight of family legacy hint at larger struggles that will test both loyalty and survival.