Fathers of Men

In a cluttered Victorian study filled with books, photographs, and odd curiosities, the Heriot household prepares to host two new boys. Their first evening is a study in contrast: one chatters about cricket and jokes, the other retreats into a quiet, brooding silence. Their host, a lanky, bearded brother, watches the scene through steel‑rimmed spectacles, offering witty commentary while his sister, Milly, busily arranges prints and offers sharp observations of the lads.

The siblings’ banter reveals a world of subtle judgments and unspoken expectations. As they discuss the boys’ manners, accents, and even the shape of a hat, a deeper portrait of class, character, and the uneasy bridge between adult authority and youthful independence begins to form. Listeners are invited into this intimate domestic tableau, where humor and tension mingle, setting the stage for the boys’ gradual discovery of themselves and the peculiar family that will shape their early days.