The Ware Case

Hubert Ware has run up huge debts over many years and is given three months to settle or face bankruptcy. He schemes to have his wife's wealthy brother Eustace stand guarantor for the debts, buying him time while he avoids paying. The mounting pressure threatens his marriage and Meg's hopes for financial stability.

Meg has long tried to force Hubert to behave responsibly and honor his obligations. Hubert proposes a Cannes holiday for the two of them, hoping to avoid dealing with money troubles. She resists, aware it would simply delay the problem and strain their relationship.

After Meg refuses the Cannes plan, Hubert leaves for a holiday in Cannes, where he begins another string of affairs. He shows no sign of reform and signals that he won't change. This marks a turning point in their marriage.

Meg realises the only way to pay Hubert's huge debts is to sell their ancestral house. A prospective buyer visits and hints at Hubert's infidelities, warning that divorce may loom if she cannot pay. Meg braces for both the financial and emotional fallout.

A house viewing reveals that Hubert has had an affair, and the buyer warns that his infidelity could be cited in divorce proceedings if she doesn't meet the price. Meg confronts the situation and considers her options in light of his betrayals. This moment intensifies the pressure on her.

Meg talks with Michael and confesses she has fallen in love with him. Michael acknowledges his own feelings, and the pair realize a fragile bond has formed between them. The confession complicates the future they imagine as a couple.

Eustace arrives, annoyed that Meg didn't give him first refusal on the house, and pushes to sell it below market value. Michael berates him for never helping Meg and for trying to cheat her in the deal. The confrontation heightens tensions and tests loyalty within the group.

Hubert returns and asks Michael whether a casino would prosecute over a 'small sum'. He reveals he has cashed cheques worth £1,000 in Cannes, which have bounced, and is unsettled by the cashier's remarks about trust. The revelation increases Hubert's fear of exposure and consequences.

Hubert is served with papers in his former mistress's divorce proceedings. He initially feels relief at avoiding arrest, but realises Meg will now learn of his affairs. The domestic crisis grows more imminent as truth threatens to surface.

That evening, Eustace is seen by the lake and a terrible cry is heard as he disappears into the water. The next morning, a would-be buyer visits the grounds and spots Eustace's body in the lake. Michael dives in to help, but Eustace is dead.

Having inherited the family money at Eustace's death, Meg uses it to settle Hubert's debts. The immediate financial crisis is resolved, allowing Meg some space to consider the future of her marriage.

Michael informs Hubert that there is a warrant for his arrest for murder and wants to keep Meg in the dark for the moment. Hubert insists they face it together, even as the criminal cloud over him thickens. The tension heightens as the authorities close in.

In court, Michael defends Hubert and counters the prosecution, until the ring evidence emerges and casts doubt on his alibi. The jury returns a verdict of not guilty, and Hubert returns home to a cheering crowd. He then climbs to the balcony, proclaims he has got away with murder, and leaps to his death, ending the ordeal in tragic fashion.