Chapter 20: Lucy — Summary, Analysis, and Key Themes
⚠️ 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
The chapter opens on June 24, 1812, with Lucy and Audrey riding side by side through the grassy fields of Radcliffe. The morning was spent practicing dance steps for the upcoming assembly room dance, with Audrey taking the rehearsal far more seriously than any previous practice session. Lucy reassures Audrey that she is ready, and she finds she genuinely means it.
Audrey remains anxious, worrying that if she makes a mistake at the dance, she won't just embarrass herself but Lucy as well. Lucy tries to lighten the mood, insisting that dances are meant to be fun and that even if Audrey doesn't fall in love, she can still enjoy the punch and the dancing. She jokes that if Audrey makes a mistake, they can blame it on American customs, or have Alexander charm everyone into adopting the new step. Lucy even offers to make a spectacle of herself by drinking too much wine, a joke that finally draws a smile from Audrey.
The conversation takes a more serious turn when Lucy mentions that Mr. Caldwell sent a messenger that morning inviting her to dine at his estate on Saturday. Audrey jokingly suggests Lucy pretend to be ill, but Lucy admits she can't cross that line.
Back at the stables, James helps both women dismount. Audrey and James share a warm, playful moment with the horse Moby, who nips at Audrey's bonnet. Watching them, Lucy is struck by a sudden, sharp feeling of jealousy — but she recognizes this time that the jealousy isn't about Audrey's ability to fall in love. It's because Audrey isn't falling in love with her.
Lucy struggles to compose herself, ripping off her gloves and hat, tugging at her bonnet strings. She scolds herself to maintain decorum, but inside she is churning. James notices her change in demeanor and becomes more formal with her. Lucy turns and walks back toward Radcliffe, with Audrey following and calling after her. In the courtyard, Audrey catches Lucy's arm and asks if she's all right. Lucy claims she's fine, saying she got warm, but she can't meet Audrey's gaze.
That night in bed, Lucy watches Audrey sleep by candlelight. She tries to name what she's feeling but can't make sense of it — the moment in the carriage, the jealousy at the stables, the way she feels just being close to Audrey. She blows out the candle and lies in the dark, acutely aware of Audrey's presence beside her. She reminds herself that her future with Mr. Caldwell is ticking closer, that Audrey will soon be gone and will love someone else. She tells herself that must be answer enough.
Key Events
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Lucy and Audrey practice dance steps for the assembly room dance, with Audrey unusually focused.
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Lucy reassures Audrey about the dance and jokes about making a spectacle of herself.
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Lucy learns Mr. Caldwell has invited her to dine at his estate on Saturday.
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At the stables, Audrey and James share a playful moment with the horse Moby.
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Lucy experiences a wave of jealousy, realizing she wishes Audrey would fall in love with her.
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Lucy walks away, and Audrey follows, but Lucy claims she's fine.
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That night, Lucy watches Audrey sleep and struggles to suppress her feelings.
Character Development
Lucy — This chapter marks a turning point in Lucy's self-awareness. She has been suppressing her feelings for Audrey throughout the story, but here she finally names the emotion: jealousy. More importantly, she identifies its true source. It isn't envy of Audrey's ability to fall in love; it's the painful recognition that Audrey isn't falling in love with her. Lucy's internal struggle is compounded by the social pressures of her world — the looming dinner with Mr. Caldwell, her father's impending return, and the expectation that she will marry. Her attempt to maintain composure at the stables, and her lie to Audrey in the courtyard, show how deeply she has internalized the need to hide her true feelings.
Audrey — Audrey's anxiety about the dance reveals a more vulnerable side. She's worried about embarrassing Lucy, which shows her growing investment in their relationship. Her lighthearted exchange with James also hints at a natural ease with people that Lucy observes with a pang of jealousy.
James — Though a minor presence, James's interaction with Audrey demonstrates the easy connection they share, which serves as a catalyst for Lucy's jealousy. His shift to formality when he notices Lucy's discomfort shows his attentiveness to social cues.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Jealousy and suppressed feelings — The chapter's central emotional beat is Lucy's jealousy, which she finally recognizes as romantic desire for Audrey. Her physical reaction — ripping off gloves, tugging at bonnet strings — externalizes the internal struggle to contain feelings she believes she isn't allowed to have.
Duty vs. desire — Lucy's obligation to Mr. Caldwell and her father's expectations stand in direct opposition to her growing feelings for Audrey. The dinner invitation serves as a reminder of the path she's expected to take.
Social expectations and performance — The dance rehearsal and Audrey's fear of embarrassment highlight the performative nature of social life in this era. Lucy's joke about making a spectacle is telling: she admits she hasn't even allowed herself to imagine such freedom before Audrey came.
Inevitability of separation — Lucy repeatedly reminds herself that Audrey will leave and will love someone else. This refrain structures her emotional reasoning and underscores the temporary nature of their time together.
The bonnet — Audrey's bonnet, described as a lost cause hanging limply, and Lucy's own bonnet strings feeling too tight both suggest the constraints of the era's feminine dress and, by extension, its social constraints.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a pivotal moment in Lucy's emotional arc. It's the first time she explicitly acknowledges — to herself — that her feelings for Audrey are romantic. The jealousy she feels watching Audrey with James is a catalyst for this realization, and it forces her to confront the conflict between her desires and her obligations. The chapter also deepens the tension between the two timelines: Lucy's world of 1812, with its rigid social expectations, and Audrey's modern perspective, which offers Lucy a glimpse of a different kind of freedom. The chapter sets up the emotional stakes for the remainder of the story, as Lucy must decide how to navigate feelings she believes are impossible.
Study Questions
1. Why does Lucy's jealousy at the stables feel different from her earlier feelings about Audrey?
Lucy recognizes that her jealousy isn't about Audrey's ability to fall in love — it's about the fact that Audrey isn't falling in love with her. This distinction marks a shift from admiration or curiosity to explicit romantic desire, and it's the first time Lucy names the feeling for what it is.
2. How does Lucy's joke about making a spectacle of herself reveal something about her character?
Lucy admits she hasn't allowed herself to even imagine making a spectacle before Audrey came. This suggests that Audrey's presence has opened up a sense of possibility and freedom in Lucy's life, even as the social constraints of her world remain firmly in place.
3. What role does the dinner invitation from Mr. Caldwell play in this chapter?
The invitation serves as a reminder of Lucy's obligations and the future she's expected to accept. It interrupts the lightness of the riding scene and grounds Lucy (and the reader) in the reality that her time with Audrey is limited and that her path is already largely determined by social expectation.
Navigation
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