In the forest west of the main house at Blackheath, Sebastian hears a cry for help by an unknown woman thought to be named Anna. A gunshot follows. Appearing from behind, a man in black coat slips a compass in Sebastian's pocket, saying only the word east.

With no memory of himself or his present circumstances, Sebastian stumbles east toward the house at Blackheath. Rapping on the door, he's let in by the butler, Roger Collins. Sebastian is taken to his room upstairs by fellow houseguest Daniel Coleridge.

Sebastian is desperate to contact the police, sure they'll find Anna in the woods. Daniel cautions against it, suggesting instead that Sebastian go at once to the stables and make arrangements to be taken home. Daniel let's himself out.

Daniel sends Dr. Richard "Dickie" Acker to look in on Sebastian. Acker discovers fresh, defensive knife wounds on Sebastian's arms, and deduces the injury must have occurred in the early morning hours or night before. He dresses the wounds and leaves Sebastian to recuperate.

Searching the bedroom for clues of his identity, Sebastian comes upon an unusually heavy steamer trunk. It is locked. Dejected and confused, he heads downstairs. As he searches for Daniel, he witnesses an altercation between the household's First Maid, Lucy Harper, and a gentlemen called Ted Stanwin. Formerly the family's butler, Stanwin is now a gentleman: having attempted to save Master Hardcastle from drowning years ago, he has been lavished with property by a grateful Lord Hardcastle.

Daniel introduces Sebastian to Michael Hardcastle in the study at Blackheath. Michael surmises a connection between Sebastian's ordeal and the note a maid handed him at last night's dinner. Sebastian has no memory of the the exchange and is determined to find its author.

Sebastian again voices his desire to involve the police, but agrees to let Michael first conduct a search during his afternoon hunt with the other guests. Sebastian sets off the find the stables, his chance at escaping the ordeal.

On his way out he's intercepted by a menacing character: a man dressed convincingly as a medieval plague doctor. The Plague Doctor warns Sebastian of an anonymous fellow with sinister intent: The Footman is bent on seeing Sebastian dead.

Shaken, Sebastian treks to the stables. The stalls are empty and nobody is home, but there's a fresh fire in the cozy living quarters. Above the fire a note hangs, implores Sebastian to stay at Blackheath, as there many people "depending on [him]." The author promises to explain everything at a secret meeting in the family cemetery tonight at 10:20. The note is signed by Anna.

Returning to Blackheath, Sebastian is drawn to a room where he discovers Evelyn Hardcastle in a chess game with the slovenly Lord Cecil Ravencourt. Evelyn quickly warms to Sebastian, and he confides in her his peculiar situation. She believes the butler, Roger Collins, will know the source and contents of the note Michael witnessed Sebastian reading during dinner the previous evening.

Collins, however, was savagely attacked the very same night by artist-in-residence Gregory Gold. Both men have been sent to The Gatehouse.

Arm-in-arm, Evelyn and Sebastian set off to pay a visit. They find Gold imprisoned and strung up from a ceiling post; Collins is sedated, watched over by an unnamed maid who confirms it was Evelyn's personal maid Madeline who delivered to note at dinner.

Hoping to intercept Madeline and learn more about the note, Evelyn next leads Sebastian down the road to the village; yellow flags on trees serve as breadcrumbs to keep them oriented.

They stop at a dilapidated well. Evelyn recalls that in better days, the family would often make wishes as they tossed coins into the water. Today, she discretely retrieve note hidden between stones. She's discrete in her movement, but Sebastian catches the action.

As the two continue speaking, Sebastian implores Evelyn to help break his amnesia by telling him what she knows of him. She reluctantly complies, and we learn Sebastian is a family friend, a crooked physician who supplies narcotics to guests of Blackheath. His dismay at this revelation endears him to Evelyn: Sebastian and Evelyn now trust each other.

Evelyn and Sebastian return to the house and retreat to his bedroom. Evelyn helps steady his steamer trunk while Sebastian hammers open the lock. The illicit pharmacy is gone. The thief has left behind a single wooden chess piece, a battered bishop inscribed with the name Anna.

Michael Hardcastle knocks on the bedroom door, prodding Sebastian to get dressed for the night's festivities. He's understanding when Sebastian explains he won't be attending, imploring his friend to rest up.

With Michael gone to dinner, Sebastian begins his journey to the family cemetery, where he's meant to meet the mysterious Anna at 10:20.

Along the way he sees Evelyn. She's learned from Madeline that the note appeared in the kitchen anonymously, discovered first by Mrs. Drudge, the cook.  The message instructed Sebastian to "meet immediately at the usual spot." With no current memory of any such spot, the information offers nothing immediately helpful.

Undeterred, Evelyn and Sebastian walk together to the cemetery in hopes of meeting Anna. She never arrives, and the two find blood splattered across leaves on the forest floor. Also on the ground is the compass with the SB inscription.

They walk back to the main house and part ways. Returning to his room, Sebastian finds on his bed a box containing a rabbit stabbed with a carving knife. In the box is a note reading "From your friend, The Footman."