Alfred the Great

Margaret still carries a torch for Albert, driving Will to extremes of jealousy. Even the child Alfred and Margaret share, who had been given up for adoption, still permeates Margaret's psyche and her marriage

Alfred uses all these neurosis, plus some of his own, to find out the truth about his brother's mysterious murder

Though the murder happened years ago, Alfred has his hunches about Will, and on the pretext of coming to visit his father's grave, stays in the old homestead and catches up on old times

When Alfred's wife, Emily, shows up, her presence throws the visit into disarray, but also provides Alfred with the strength to set Will up for a confession to the murder

Through deception, seduction, revelation and even torture, Alfred discovers his father is really alive, Margaret reveals a suppressed past, and a confession of murder is dragged out of Will

The facts are sketchy, but Will pays the ultimate sacrifice when Alfred kills him, prompting Margaret to give up hope of any more illusions and kill herself

Alfred and Emily are left to explain the carnage and pay the price of this tragedy

First in The Alfred Trilogy and of the seven-play cycle The Quannapowitt Quartet, Alfred The Great introduces us to Alfred L. Webber as he begins his journey back home after greatly succeeding as a businessman