David Glenney recalls the coinciding deaths of Wagner and Fontaine in Frankfort and gradually explains how the connection between their families began. Mrs. Wagner inherits her husband’s progressive vision and his ambition for women’s economic independence, showing determination to realize it in practice. Madame Fontaine and her daughter struggle under social prejudice and lingering suspicion, occupying an increasingly fragile position. Shared grief and financial uncertainty draw the households together, though sympathy and caution coexist uneasily. Glenney’s reflective narration introduces the characters and plants the seeds of future conflict.
