The mating impulse

A breezy autumn landscape frames the opening of this witty tale, where an extra train winds its way through the rolling hills of northern England, ferrying a party of eager sportsmen toward their Scottish shooting grounds. Amid the gentle countryside and the clatter of bird‑dogs, Andy Farnham, a young American adventurer, occupies a solitary window seat, his mind far from the hunt. He pores over a German article on suffragist psychology, an ironic contrast to the genteel chatter of his English companions.

Andy’s true purpose, however, lies beyond the scenery: he’s on a personal quest to track down the notorious suffragette Roberta Leigh, whose fiery campaigning has made headlines across Britain. As the train pulls into a quiet country station, his search teeters between determination and resignation, hinting at a series of comic mishaps and cultural clashes that will test both his resolve and the “mating impulse” of the era’s reformers.