 Rumpole is in a rut and hasn t had an interesting case for quite some time, so he is thrilled when commissioned to defend Peter Delgado who is accused of stabbing a rent collector. Rumpole is particularly pleased that much of the prosecution evidence rests on the blood found on the accused clothing since, as wife Hilda s father was quoted as saying, there is no one in Chambers knowing more about blood spatter evidence than Rumpole. Oddly however, the defendant s older brothers, both well-known gangsters, seem less than pleased with Rumpole s enthusiastic defense. Featherstone surprises Rumpole by inviting him and Hilda to attend a Ball.