In a luxurious hotel, Mrs. Ruyslaender, anticipating her husband’s return from Africa, seeks the help of Lord Peter Wimsey after her valuable diamond necklace, the "Light of Africa," is stolen. She suspects Paul Melville, a distant relative of her husband, who had visited her and shown interest in her jewels. The theft is compounded by the loss of a portrait with an inscription that could expose her past indiscretions, which she fears would lead to her husband’s divorce. Wimsey, intrigued by the case, agrees to help her recover the stolen items without involving the police. He learns that Melville has financial troubles, which may have motivated the theft. To gather information, Wimsey decides to engage Melville socially, inviting him to a card game with friends, including Colonel Marchbanks and Sir Impey Biggs. During the game, Wimsey feigns drunkenness while observing Melville closely. He eventually catches Melville cheating by revealing a hidden joker, leading to a confrontation. The witnesses confirm the cheating, and Wimsey proposes a quiet resolution: Melville must return the stolen items to avoid public disgrace. Cornered, Melville reluctantly surrenders the necklace and portrait, revealing his guilt. Wimsey, satisfied with the outcome, reflects on the nature of justice and the limits of the law, suggesting that some crimes, like blackmail, elude legal repercussions. The story concludes with Wimsey contemplating the moral complexities of his actions and the darker aspects of human nature.
By Dorothy L Sayers · First published 1939 · Genre: Mystery, Detective Fiction, Crime