Lord Robert St. Simon comes to Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson for help after his bride, Hatty Doran, disappeared during their wedding reception. He explains that sometime prior, Hatty traveled from San Francisco, eager to marry him. However, she became uncharacteristically sharp with him following the wedding, during which she had dropped her bouquet and a gentleman in the front row returned it to her. During the post-wedding breakfast at St. Simon's father-in-law's home, Hatty spoke with her maid before claiming "a sudden indisposition" and retired to her room. Not long after, someone discovered she had disappeared. Additionally, her wedding dress and ring were found washed ashore at the Serpentine, leading to Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard attempting to drag the river for Hatty's body.