The novel opens with a conversation between the Governess and her son, Monty. The Governess tells the boy that she has written a song for him, and Monty responds by saying that he has written it himself. The two discuss Monty's education and the role that discipline and responsibility play in a child's development. Monty says that he is learning to focus on other people and to live up to his team's responsibilities. The song reminds him of his mother's murder, and the two discuss the importance of relationships in a young person's life