As the storm outside subsides, the surviving investigators search the house. The guest rooms hold enough luggage for about twenty people, hastily dumped in any convenient spot. There is untouched bread, cheese, and cold meat (now several days old) in the kitchen along with several bottles of whiskey. The fires have been made up but not lit. Three cars are parked outside. The house is empty of people, and Georgina is missing.

Their search complete, the investigators compile a list of all the names that they can find on the luggage, and settle down with a bottle of whisky to concoct a story for the police. None of them are inclined to sleep. They leave for Inverness at first light. In Inverness they contact the police, reporting Georgina lost in the bad weather and Mullardoch house empty when they arrived. Their story is not well-received, but they are eventually allowed to return to London.

A year passes.

A version of the investigators' story appears in the popular press as "Bolshevik-inspired mass suicide of highbrows - innocent girl feared kidnapped". A few also carry a report of a mysterious illness that claimed eleven lives in the village of Cannich on the night of December 10th.

Dr Highsmith's paper is published in February. Ludwig is listed as a co-author, and the other investigators are thanked for their "invaluable assistance". This is his last contact with the investigators.

Herman Hesse's "Steppenwolf" appears in English translation to unexpected acclaim. The first impression sells out in days, and the edition goes through five more printings. A stage version: "The Magical Theatre for Madmen Only" is equally successful, and there are hopes that the planned film will revitalise British cinema.

Over the next six months, Ludwig experiences terrible nightmares whenever he tries to sleep. He prescribes himself a regime of sleeping pills and nerve tonics that allows him to function, but the quality of his work at the hospital is affected. His reputation suffers. Eventually, he accepts an offer of partnership in a rather seedy practice off the Tottenham Court Road, where prescriptions are issued with few questions asked.

There is a resurgence of interest in spiritualism, particularly among younger people more interested in exploring the Other Side than in contacting the departed. Alex's seances become particularly popular after he starts to include elements Carcosa in the experience. Some of his artistically-inclined regulars even claim to find the seances inspiring, although the only notable result is an inexplicably popular West End farce: "The Yellow Dress".

Aubrey's dream landscapes and darker paintings are a critical success and he is offered a one-man show by one of the smaller galleries. As his career begins to take off, he finds himself the leader of a circle of new artists - one of many forming this year. He plan to issue a "Yellow Manifesto", but is pre-empted by a literary group who choose the same name. Their manifesto calls not for new techniques to express old thoughts, but for radically new thought from which new techniques will follow. Aubrey's disturbing dreams continue until March, then fade and cease.

Vincent Tuck supplements his usual business with a commission from Alex to investigate the people who went missing at Mullardoch House. The group seems to have begun with Edwards and a small number of associates from the Golden Dawn, and expanded to include some of their friends and acquaintances. Most had artistic leanings of some kind - mainly amateur. There are no leads on Quarrie.

In October, Aubrey's dreams begin again. Within the next few days Ludwig spots a masked figure among the crowds on Oxford Street and Alex's seance is interrupted by a vision of a yellow-robed figure on a bare hilltop. The vision persists even after the circle is broken and several of the sitters are alarmed, but competition for places in the next seance is keener than ever. The newspapers report unrest in rural India and splits within the Indian national Congress around this time, but are soon filled with news of the collapse of the American stock market.

On December 13th, Vincent Tuck finally uncovers a lead. A Mr Wilfred Gresty was arrested for vandalism and assault in connection with a church, and is due to appear before the Southwark Magistrates’ Court that morning. The investigators attend, and are able to learn his address. Calling on him that evening leads to a long, ranting conversation in the local pub.

Gresty was sent to London years ago by the old man, who wanted him to keep an eye on Quarrie, Edwards, and Bacon. Their god is dangerous - nothing good comes from the sky - but he is not afraid. He takes out a whistle of kind familiar to the investigators, spits on it, and throws it across the room. He hates London; it is full of swindlers and hypocrites and canting preachers. He stayed for the sake of the God and because of what the old man promised him, but enough is enough. Southwark church was built by Nick Hawksmoor, who knew a thing or two, and it's not just a church to the god of the canting preachers. So last night he broke in and blew the whistle so Edwards' god would know he was there and then he cut the mouths on his hands and called to the Mother to bring the Father and His children. And now is going back to Mercy Hill and Nug's Farm where the woman lives and he is going to claim his inheritance. Will the investigators help? If they will, he'll meet them in two weeks when his friends back home have got everything ready.

A day of library research locates Mercy Hill in the Severn Valley, south of Gloucester. There is a mention of the region in Quarrie's book: it was the site of the cult of "the Father Below", who the Romans identified with Dis. Earth cults were rare in Roman Britain, and Quarrie speculates that its origin may even have been pre-Celtic, although he admits there is little evidence. Another day of research into pre-Celtic religion in Britain uncovers few facts and a great deal of wild speculation of the kind that involves Atlantis or the Lost Tribes of Israel. The investigators decide to abandon their researches and visit Mercy Hill as soon as possible, without Gresty. The "woman at Nug's Farm" is apparently Quarrie's wife. Perhaps she should be told of Gresty's plans?