Summary

Sometime after Betty’s funeral, Filth opened a letter from Isobel Ingoldby. Before we can learn the contents of the letter, the narrative goes back in time to when Pat Ingoldby had been in Public school and Eddie, a year younger, was just leaving Sir’s outfit. Upon his departure, Sir told Eddie that he would make a wonderful lawyer. He also told Eddie to steer clear of Wales, and to keep off girls.

When Eddie arrived at High House the summer of 1936—three years before Hitler invaded Poland, and so chronologically before “The Outfit”—Pat informed him that there was a girl in the house: his cousin, Isobel Ingoldby. Isobel seemed “peculiar” to the Ingoldbys (70); she spent most of her time outdoors and refused to eat at the table. The first time a 14-year-old Eddie spoke to...