 Rumpole defends Charles Hearthstoke against charges of keeping bawdy houses, in the form of his chain of massage parlours. The case has generated a good deal of publicity as many customers were prominent members of the community and to Rumpole s astonishment, paid with credit cards. Guthrie Featherstone, who sought a massage for for a tennis injury, now thinks that may be identified as one of the patrons and Rumpole arranges for him to preside at Hearthstoke s trial.