[2] Unlike the others in the series the story is largely set in England, the Lordship Lane of the title being a thoroughfare in East Dulwich, South London.

Devisher had found himself caught up in a Venezuelan revolution while handling stolen goods for Daniel Horbury, a shady London MP – and he now holds a grudge.

When Horbury is found dead with his throat cut at his home in Lordship Lane, Hanaud and Ricardo assist Superintendent Maltby of Scotland Yard with the investigation.

Devisher claims to be working for the Dagger Line, but he appears be involved in drug running, and Mordaunt cannot understand how such a hands-on owner as Septimus Crottle could possibly have put an ex-convict into the company's commercially important Cairo office.

Searching the nephews' office, he finds evidence that George has been using Dagger Line ships to facilitate drug running, and that it was he rather than Septimus who had found a post for Devisher in Cairo.

When Devisher entered through the French windows, George threw a heavy long-bladed knife at Horbury, catching him on the throat and killing him outright.