Dorothy attends a midwinter Ceilidh with her mother and writes a letter to her older sister Charlotte, detailing the strange events of the evening. The village hall is packed with revelers when there is a power cut. They see the  asylum on the hill above the hall in flames and several inmates escape, including the Two Gentlemen. A terrifying silence then falls upon the dance hall: no one can make a sound. The organist, Ferneyclough, takes fright and flees into the night. As sound returns, Dorothy falls in love with a young man named Birdwhistle and sings a magic to predict their future, but to no avail. Walking home Dorothy has a vision of the ship ‘Midnight Mallard’ sinking into a blood and snow covered sea surrounded by drowned bodies.