At Joan Farnsworth's boarding house, five doors up from the Barbour family home, at five-forty-five on a blustery April evening, the maid hurries downstairs as the doorbell rings. She still can't get used to calling Joan 'Barden', and is even more confused with the caller being Mr Farnsworth, who has been for tea with Emily Stewart today, and now has a question for Joan. Then Father Barbour arrives too, who doesn't hide his displeasure at Joan's visitor.