
At age 60, disillusioned with academia and estranged from his family, retired historian Gerald Middleton looks back on the summer of 1912. Then, as a young man, he witnessed the discovery of a phallic idol in the excavated grave of a medieval bishop and fell in love with Dollie, his best friend's fiancée.
At age 60, disillusioned with academia and estranged from his family, retired historian Gerald Middleton looks back on the summer of 1912. Then, as a young man, he witnessed the discovery of a phallic idol in the excavated grave of a medieval bishop and fell in love with Dollie, his best friend's fiancée.
Over Gerald's objections, Inge invites the conniving Larrie to stay with her at the family estate—unaware that Larrie and her favorite son, John, are secretly lovers. Meanwhile, trying to uncover the truth about the Melpham idol, Gerald visits Professor Portway's widow, Lilian, in France.