Summary

In the Prologue, the author sets up the situation. The events of the Prologue take place on the Cambridge campus after Mariana has been there a few days. Mariana is certain Edward Fosca is guilty of murder though she has no hard evidence. She plans to spend the night going over all the details she can remember to prove Edward guilty.

Part One opens with a quote from C.S. Lewis indicating that grief feels very much like fear. Chapter 1 opens a few days before the Prologue. Mariana is at her home in London. She is trying to go through the boxes of her late husband's belongings. Sebastian has been dead more than a year, but Mariana cannot put aside her love. She knows she should begin throwing things away, but she cannot bring herself to actually do that. Mariana is...