The morning after a party, an architect — who was supposed to be redesigning Peregrine's home — and his lover are found dead in the sauna. Peregrine and James attempt to retrace the partygoers' movements, but the task proves difficult as the guests were swapping partners in the name of free love.

James travels home to the country to investigate the murder of a childhood friend on the eve of the society wedding of the year. Peregrine muscles her way into his investigation, but as it proceeds, old wounds are opened for James and he's reminded that, to the Hartford squattocracy, he'll always be just the son of a farmhand.