Chapter 1 Summary

The setting is 1913 Moscow. Nellie Reid, Frank Reid's wife, has left her home in Moscow and taken her three children, Dolly, Ben, and Annushka, with her.

A messenger has a letter to deliver to Frank. It is odd because Frank is at his home at 22 Lipka, which is where the messenger took the letter from Nellie. The letter was supposed to be delivered to Frank at his office at Reid Press. Frank has arrived home early, so the messenger had not yet started for the office. He is, rather, in the kitchen having a cup of tea. For the benefit of the servants who are watching him closely, Frank reads the letter slowly, and then tells the staff that his wife has taken the three children and left, but that he doesn't know for how long.

Frank Reid was born in Moscow of...