Pyne is surprised to receive a note from Lady Grayle asking him not to leave the boat for an excursion to the Temple of Abydos but to meet her for a consultation. He does so and she asks him to find out if her husband is poisoning her as she has been unwell for some time when she is with him but she recovers when he is away. Pyne suspects there is more to the matter than she is telling and he voices this and, in doing so, offends his latest client who walks off in a huff. Soon afterwards, Miss MacNaughton appears and voices almost the same concern – that Lady Grayle is being poisoned – but she doesn't want to suspect Sir George, even though she has also spotted the timing of her recoveries being linked to his absences.