 When an anonymous elderly woman is found drowned in the lake of a large estate, she is initially thought to be a homeless bag lady. Later, the coroner discovers an unexplained head wound, no water in her lungs, and an enigmatic photo linking her to Lord Richard Sackbut, the lord of the ancestral manor. This prompts Lady Sackbut, a cousin of Hilda s, to invite the plebeian Rumpoles for the first time to the manor, where Horace is recruited to represent the family at what will prove to be a very contentious inquest. Sidebars include Rumpole s defense of an alleged triple murderer and Liz s discovery of unpleasant news about Inchcape.