Gilbert Bernal, the owner of an hotel, has been married for 20 years to Cora, a nagging, invalid wife, who suspects him of an infatuation with the young resident housekeeper, Mary Pillington. She plagues her husband with quarrels and accusations, behaves intolerably, and even writes to her sister saying that she is sure Gilbert plans to murder her. The husband is in love with Mary, but he has never admitted this either to himself, or to her. After a particularly violent scene with his wife, his thoughts do turn to murder. A simple opportunity presents itself of poisoning Cora’s medicine with Strychnine left behind by a doctor who once lived in the hotel. Gilbert seizes this opportunity, and his wife dies during a heart attack. Six months later, when he is happily remarried to Mary, his first wife’s sister turns up from Australia to make enquiries about the manner of Cora’s death. She is suspicious, and calls in the police. It seems certain that Gilbert’s crime will be discovered. Exhumation of the dead woman, however, reveals no trace of poison in her body. Gilbert and Mary discover that Ellen, the cook, accidentally withheld the medicine from Cora on the fatal night. The crime, although meditated and desired, was never committed.