The tale begins on the eve of a wedding. Edward of Hatting Hall is to marry the lovely Marian. Benet, his rather fussy & reclusive friend & neighbor, is in charge of the proceedings. He's also the one who finds Marian's hasty note calling the whole thing off. Everyone is thrown into a tizzy. As they all wait for further word & worry about suicide & abduction, we learn their painful secrets in scenes notable for their dramatic intensity