The Battle of the Sexes

Martin is on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh buying whisky and cigarettes when he is summoned to the deathbed of old MacPherson at Moray Place. MacPherson offers him a whisky, Martin declines, and MacPherson drinks for two and promptly dies.

With the old owner dead, the Tweed company passes to the young MacPherson, establishing a new line of leadership. The change in ownership sets the stage for new influences to intrude on the business.

The new owner, the young MacPherson, becomes enamoured of Angela Barrows, an American efficiency expert. Barrows is eager to revolutionize the traditional company and bring in modern methods. Their alliance signals a clash between old ways and new ideas.

Barrows insists on visiting 'the factory' on the Hebrides to see how the crofts spin the wool. The visit exposes a remote, craft-based operation that underpins the company’s products. The contrast foreshadows the conflict between tradition and modernization.

Barrows plans to replace the 700 crofter-weavers with a single large factory. She also advocates shifting the company to synthetic fibres. These proposals demonstrate the scale of reform she envisions.

While being driven through the city, the chauffeur crashes into the back of a brewer's dray, a consequence of Barrows' push for rapid modernization. The accident underscores the disruptive atmosphere surrounding the reforms.

Martin goes to a cinema to watch a Sherlock Holmes film, and the story inspires him to kill Mrs. Barrows. He believes that staging the crime will mislead any future investigation.

He purchases a half-bottle of whisky and a packet of cigarettes to use as props for a staged crime. These items are intended to help him appear as a casual killer and to create a misleading alibi.

In Angela Barrows' flat, Martin makes a first attempt to kill, but the act is botched. His conscience intervenes and he stops before he can harm her.

After a series of botched attempts, he tries to remove all evidence from the scene, but young MacPherson suddenly appears and Martin manages to avoid detection. The close call preserves his freedom for the moment.

Back in the office, MacPherson interrogates Martin and finds his denial more plausible than Barrows' claims. The exchange highlights the tension between truth, suspicion, and motive within the company.

Barrows cannot take any more, accuses them all of being mad, and leaves for good. The reformist pressure within the company begins to dissolve as she exits.

Later, Martin sees Barrows crying at the station and is moved to buy her a flower. The gesture softens the conflict and marks a quiet, unresolved closing to their confrontation.