Major Duncan Meredyth, confined to a wheelchair after severe war injuries, lives quietly in the town of Wellingsford, reflecting on memory, loss, and survival. His recollections of friendship with Sergeant Marigold frame his emotional world until a summons from Lady Fenimore draws him into another family’s grief. Upon visiting Sir Anthony Fenimore, Duncan learns of the death of their son Oswald in battle, a revelation that deepens the novel’s somber tone. This part establishes the lingering presence of war and the emotional burden carried by those who remain behind.
