The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

Last chapter in this section entitled Investigations.

Francine is in love with Mirabel. Is it love of something else? She’s extremely jealous of the attention/attraction he has for Emily. Francine writes an anonymous letter to Alban insinuating Emily is falling for Mirabel. Mirabel warns Emily Francine is up to mischief. Francine continues to try to diminish Emily in Mirabel’s eyes. The bored group of you g people decide to entertain themselves by cooking heir own luncheon. Servants carry the ingredients to the lodge, and Mirabel is startled by a dog. His reaction seems severe, and he indicates he’s easily unnerved since the night in the inn. Confirmation that he was in the inn the night of the murder. Alban responds to the anonymous note by going to see Emily. At dinner there is a verbal competition between Alban and Mirabel. Alban comes out the worse . Mirabel seems further shocked by the name Miss Jethro but we don’t know yet the cause, Francine tells Emily she’s been deceived for years about her father’s death. Emily quickly and quietly leaves for home.

Why is Mirabel interested in Emily?

What do you think of Mirabel’s opinion of his parishioners?

Why is Mirabel so uncomfortable with Miss Jethro?

Who is the most manipulative of the characters!

Both Mirabel and Emily continue to intrigue me. Francine’s selfish callousness does not surprise me at all and it was only a matter of time before she let the cat out of the bag. For Mirabel it seems a fear of dogs is not his only fear.

’ Mirabel waited a minute behind the lodge to recover himself. He had been so completely unnerved that his hair was wet with perspiration. While he used his handkerchief, he shuddered at other recollections than the recollection of the dog. "After that night at the inn," he thought, "the least thing frightens me!"

That was either a huge clue to his whereabouts on the night of the murder or another of those rouge tinted fish that have been mentioned before. Mirabel’s nervous reaction to Miss Jethro’s name adds another layer of mystery to this young man. Just as Francine blows hot and cold about Mirabel according to the way he treats her, could Miss Jethro be so enamoured with him that she is protecting him too?

Mirabel may have made a fool of Alban at the dinner table with his loquacity but could Emily be making a fool of Alban too? I am trying not to believe what I am thinking but Emily spends so much time with Mirabel that I am beginning to doubt even her words and her reaction to Alban. Could she be hiding her real feelings for Mirabel and stringing Alban along? I hope not.

This touching scene left me feeling I was wrong but I am still uneasy whenever Emily and Mirabel get together.

’ (Alban) I will be all that is civil and kind to Mr. Mirabel; I will like him and admire him as you do. Oh, Emily, are you a little, only a very little, fond of me?"
"I don't quite know."
"May I try to find out?"
"How?" she asked. Her fair cheek was very near to him. The softly-rising color on it said, Answer me here—and he answered.’

Mirabel’s plan to get Emily isolated with his invalid sister sounds both ominous and possibly dangerous. Will Francine’s revelations about the deceit of all those around her drive Emily into Mirabel’s hideous entanglement of arms, trapping her in a desolate wilderness on the Northumberland coast?

I’m confused-how does Francine know anything about Emily’s father? I thought she was only recently arrived in the country. Or has Mrs elmother said something to her?

Francine appears to go from bad to worse-I had initially felt sorry for her but that seems unmerited now. I don’t think Emily is falling for Mirabel, and I don’t even think she intends to incite jealousy in Alban, but is still somewhat naive. I was impressed how she stood up to Francine about the letter in the crown of roses though.

We know that there was talk of the murder at school so Francine was aware of the murder, I don’t know how she has further info though. Maybe she saw the locket and put the dates together? Maybe somebody told her? It’s funny that I didn’t find it odd until your post.

Still enjoying the book, but don't really have anything special to say for this section. I think we all knew Emily was going to find out about her father, and probably through Francine otherwise what purpose does she serve in this book, the only question was when, and who else would be hurt in the process (was Alban).
I think even without his suspicious connection with a murder investigation, Mirabel's cowardliness would make him unattractive to most women of the time. Perhaps that's why no one but Francine seems to take his flirtations seriously. To be fair, we don't know much about what he was like before the murder; whatever happened in that room and whatever his role was or wasn't, it's understandable that his nerves wouldn't recover so perhaps it's not fair to judge him for being jumpy. Unless he turns out to be a murderer or an accomplice, of course, then we can judge him.

Frances wrote: "I’m confused-how does Francine know anything about Emily’s father? I thought she was only recently arrived in the country. Or has Mrs elmother said something to her?

Francine appears to go from ba..."

In Chapter 35, ‘The Treachery of the Pipe’ Alban says this to Mrs. Ellmother…….

’ “The man was her father himself. Keep your seat! There is nothing to be alarmed about. I know that Emily is ignorant of the horrid death that her father died. I know that you and your late mistress have kept the discovery from her to this day. I know the love and pity which plead your excuse for deceiving her, and the circumstances that favored the deception. My good creature, Emily’s peace of mind is as sacred to me as it is to you! I love her as I love my own life–and better. Are you calmer, now?”

But they were not alone in the grounds of the school during this conversation.

’ A minute later, another person left the grounds by the path which led to the house. Alban’s precaution had been taken too late. The smell of tobacco-smoke had guided Francine, when she was at a loss which way to turn next in search of Mrs. Ellmother. For the last quarter of an hour she had been listening, hidden among the trees.

Francine had been hiding in the bushes, listening to Alban and Mrs Ellmother discussing the murder of her father. The smell of Alban’s tobacco had guided her there. Therefore Francine finally knew Mrs. Ellmother’s terrible secret about Emily’s father. No doubt she had a field day describing to Emily how her cherished friends and relatives had practised a cruel deceit on her for so long.

Thank you, Trev! I was one of those who completely missed that connection when Francine told Emily the truth of her father’s death.

I believe that Mirabel is untrustworthy, both about what happened at the inn and with women. His reactions are those of someone who is either guilty or traumatized (perhaps both). Whatever his involvement in the death at the inn, I believe he is a womanizer without a conscience. Emily is in danger of being used by Mirabel, but I hope that her respect and dawning love for Alban will allow her to side-step the danger. Of course, she is likely to be furious at Alban for not telling her the truth sooner. Emily is a good young woman who has been overly sheltered from learning about her father's death, and she is not great at recognizing those who will do her harm (Mirabel and Francine, for example), but I believe she has true heart.