Summary

The story begins with a chapter titled The Right Sort, 1979. Nathan Bishop and his mother, Rita, get off a bus near a pub called The Fox and Hounds. They are headed to a musical soiree hosted by Lady Grayer at the Slade House. Rita has written directions to the house and she is anxious that they arrive on time. She explains, as she apparently has explained already, that there will be people in attendance who care deeply about music, and that some of them will be in charge of awarding grants and hiring for music-related jobs. She says that she wishes Nathan had been able to remain at home but that Lady Grayer specifically requested that Nathan attend.

As they near the entrance of Slade Alley, Nathan has to step out of the way of a jogger. He's wearing a black and...