THE MALEFACTOR (1906)
Walter Aynesworth, a journalist, hears a story from Lovell who is leaving the country.
Thirteen years before two young sportsmen fell in love with a married woman, Ruth the wife of the Master of Hounds. The men's friendship could not survive this. One day Lumley noticed that Wingrave and Ruth had disappeared from the hunt. He followed them back to the house and looking through a window hediscovered them together. We do not know what he saw. However collecting Ruth's husband an angry scene ensued and the husband fell in a struggle. Subsequently he died. Wingrave was imprisoned for manslaughter. In his possession he had a collection of ardent love letters from Ruth. He had not responded to her and failed to make them public during the trial.
Wingrave is released that week and Aynesworth decides to meet him and offers his services as a factotum of sorts. Aynesworth openly lets the very wealthy Wingrave know that he has been told his story.
