Sherlock Holmes y el doctor Watson se encuentran charlando una fria manana de primavera, despues del desayuno, y Holmes se lamenta de que los criminales han perdido audacia y originalidad. Dice literalmente: "En cuanto a mi pequeno consultorio, parece que esta degenerando en una agencia de recuperacion de lapices perdidos y de consejos a jovencitas de internados escolares. Creo que, al fin, he tocado fondo." Holmes muestra a Watson una carta que le envia una tal senorita Hunter en la que pide que le aconseje si debe aceptar un empleo de ninera. Watson intenta consolarle diciendole que las cosas muchas veces no son lo que parecen, y en ese momento anuncian a la senorita Violet Hunter. Contra todo pronostico, la joven le gusta a Holmes, ya que detesta los fingimientos y le agrada la gente clara y decidida. Acepta el caso, y asi se inicia El misterio de Copper Beeches. Violet Hunter visits Holmes, asking whether she should accept a job as governess; a job with very strange conditions. She is enticed by the phenomenal salary which, as originally offered, is 100 a year, later increased to 120 when Miss Hunter balks at having to cut her long hair short (her previous position paid 48 a year). This is only one of many peculiar provisos to which she must agree. The employer, Jephro Rucastle, seems pleasant enough, yet Miss Hunter obviously has her suspicions. She announces to Holmes, after the raised salary offer, that she will take the job, and Holmes suggests that if he is needed, a telegram will bring him to Hampshire, where Mr Rucastle's country estate, the Copper Beeches, is situated."