Rumpole travels out of London to defend Kathy Trelawny on a charge of possession of dangerous drugs, specifically, marijuana that she supposedly sold to an undercover police officer. Rumpole's defense is based on entrapment, but some of Kathy's friends want her to be a martyr to the cause. Unfortunately, her admission of guilt to Rumpole puts him in a precarious situation. Rumpole stays with old friends, the Doghertys, who own a small hotel, The Crooked Billet. Sam Dogherty has a problem with drink and his wife Bobby has been advised by their physician to get him as far away from running a bar as possible.
—garykmcd