Chapter 46 Summary: Not Quite Like Leprosy
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
At a military dinner hosted by Major General Prévost, Lord John Grey and his brother Hal (the Duke of Pardloe) are stunned to encounter their estranged former stepbrother, Percival Wainwright, now calling himself the Cavalier Saint-Honoré. Percy pretends to be a Frenchman and avoids their gaze. John engages Mrs. Prévost in polite conversation while Hal seethes. Needing air, John steps into the garden, where Percy follows him and calls him by his secret code name “Buttercup.” Percy reveals that he was John’s counterpart in the French Secret du Roi, using the name Monsieur Citròn. He hints that he is considering leaving France and asks for a favor. John refuses and walks away, but spots Percy smiling after him.
Key Events
- John and Hal recognize Percy at the Prévost dinner table under his assumed identity.
- John defuses tensions by initiating small talk with Mrs. Prévost; Hal mutters insults at Percy.
- John retreats to the garden, where Percy follows and addresses him as “Buttercup.”
- Percy confirms that he was Monsieur Citròn, John’s opposite number in the French spy network.
- Percy suggests he may be defecting and requests a favor from John.
- John declines, returns to the house, and sees Percy smiling from the garden.
Character Development
- Lord John Grey: His past emotions toward Percy resurface—love, distrust, and acute caution. John’s composure under pressure is tested; he physically reacts to hearing his code name. He ultimately prioritizes self-preservation and distance over curiosity or compassion.
- Hal Grey: Shows barely controlled fury at seeing Percy. His aggressive posture and muttered remarks contrast with John’s cooler head.
- Percy Wainwright: Appears confident and well-dressed, but his smile after John’s refusal suggests he is not finished with his gambit. He has shifted allegiance from France and reveals he has long known John’s secret identity.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Treason and Loyalty: Percy’s defection and use of the term “treason” frame the theme of shifting loyalties—between nations, lovers, and brothers.
- Code Names and Identity: “Buttercup” and “Monsieur Citròn” represent the hidden lives both men led as spies. The chapter explores how secret identities persist after the roles end.
- Garden as Interlude: The garden provides a private space for a dangerous conversation, symbolizing the contrast between public decorum and concealed truth.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens John Grey’s backstory in the intelligence world and reopens his complicated relationship with Percy. It sets up potential future plots involving espionage, defection, and personal risk at a time when the American Revolution intensifies. Percy’s reappearance threatens to disrupt John’s settled life and force him to confront buried feelings.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does John use the reference to leprosy when speaking of treason?
John’s remark reflects his shock that Percy would openly confess to disloyalty. The comparison suggests that treason, like leprosy, is a visible stain—but Percy replies that it does not show so easily, underscoring the hidden nature of his work. -
What does Percy’s code name “Monsieur Citròn” reveal about his role?
The name indicates he was John’s counterpart in France’s equivalent of the Black Chamber. The citrus reference may hint at a pungent or bitter truth about his trade; more importantly, it confirms that he operated at a high level within the Secret du Roi. -
Why does John refuse to hear Percy’s favor, even after Percy saved his life once?
John’s survival instinct overrides curiosity or gratitude. He has left the spy world behind and fears that any involvement with Percy—especially one involving defection—could drag him back into danger, compromise his family, or reopen emotional wounds.