Chapter 32: Beatrice — Summary, Key Events, and Character Analysis

⚠️ 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 at the rehearsal dinner for Daphne and Jeff's wedding, where Beatrice is unsettled to find Ambrose Madison, the Duke of Virginia, in attendance with his family. His smug demeanor leads her to the sickening realization that his bill to remove her from the throne has secured enough votes to pass. She is constrained by protocol and must maintain a composed facade while her future hangs in the balance.

As dinner begins, the Duchess of Texas, Anna Ramirez, approaches Beatrice with unexpected news. A straw poll conducted ahead of next month's vote indicates that Beatrice has enough support to survive. The Dukes of Roanoke and Montana have been advocating for her, and the Duke of Orange—Marshall's grandfather—has quietly lobbied on her behalf. Beatrice is surprised, particularly by the Duke of Orange's involvement, given his role in coauthoring the bill that stripped Sam of her HRH. Madison appears unaware of this development.

Beatrice mouths “I won” to Teddy across the table, and they share a moment of excitement. During a break in the toasts, she slips out into the hall, and Teddy follows. He congratulates her warmly, but Beatrice still feels a lingering sense that something is out of place.

She leads Teddy to a small stateroom to show him a painting of a turkey flying through the sky, signed with the monogram “BR” for Benjamin Rex. She explains that King Benjamin painted it after a riding accident in 1885 left him in a coma for weeks. When he woke, he had forgotten the past few years—just as Beatrice has lost memories from her own accident. Benjamin's neurological wiring fundamentally changed, and he became an artist, producing over a hundred works, most of which are nudes of Queen Tatiana and therefore not suitable for public display.

Beatrice confesses her fear that her accident has changed her in similar ways. Teddy responds that change isn't something to fear, and that the accident made her braver. When she protests that she is afraid of many things, he tells her that bravery means refusing to let fears guide your actions, not the absence of fear.

They exchange declarations of love, and their kiss is tender and passionate. But the moment turns when Teddy mentions that hearing about her accident was one of the scariest moments of his life. Beatrice goes still, realizing she has never considered why Teddy wasn't in the car with her. She asks where he was.

Teddy reluctantly admits he was at the airport, heading to Nantucket. They had argued that night about his role in their marriage—he felt he had little to do while she was at the League of Kings conference. The fight ended with them agreeing to take “a little bit of space.” Beatrice is devastated. She had come to lean on Teddy as a constant, stable presence, and learning their relationship was not as solid as she assumed feels like the ground giving way beneath her. She flees back to the Grand Gallery before he can see her tears.

Key Events

Beatrice realizes Ambrose Madison's removal bill will pass, based on his confident demeanor at the rehearsal dinner
Anna Ramirez delivers the straw poll results showing Beatrice has enough votes to survive
Beatrice and Teddy share a celebratory moment and later a private conversation
Beatrice shows Teddy King Benjamin's turkey painting and explains the king's post-accident transformation
Beatrice and Teddy declare their love for each other
Teddy reveals he was at the airport heading to Nantucket when the accident occurred, after an argument about his role in their marriage
Beatrice flees, shaken by the revelation

Character Development

Beatrice — This chapter shows Beatrice at a crossroads. Politically, she has achieved a significant victory through her own campaigning, demonstrating growth from the protocol-bound princess she once was. Yet the revelation about the argument with Teddy exposes her emotional fragility. Her fear of change—articulated through the King Benjamin comparison—reveals a deeper anxiety about whether she is still the same person, and whether the people she loves will still recognize her. Her flight from Teddy shows that her trust, once shaken, is not easily restored.

Teddy — Teddy is honest, if reluctant, about the argument. His love for Beatrice is evident in his plea that he almost lost her once and cannot bear to lose her again. But his admission also reveals a vulnerability in their relationship that Beatrice had not known about, complicating the image of him as a steady, uncomplicated presence.

Anna Ramirez — The Duchess of Texas serves as a political ally, bringing Beatrice crucial intelligence at a pivotal moment. Her role underscores the importance of behind-the-scenes lobbying in the political landscape of the novel.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Memory loss and identity — The King Benjamin parallel is the chapter's central symbol. Benjamin's accident changed his neurological wiring and transformed him into an artist. Beatrice's fear that her own accident has changed her in ways she cannot perceive speaks to the novel's broader exploration of how memory shapes identity.

Change and transformation — Teddy's assertion that change isn't something to fear directly challenges Beatrice's anxiety. Her political transformation—from following protocol to campaigning for votes—is presented as evidence that change can be positive, even as she resists it.

Trust and uncertainty — The revelation about the argument and the agreed “space” shatters Beatrice's assumption that her relationship with Teddy was solid. The chapter ends with her trust in question, setting up emotional conflict.

Political survival — The straw poll results and the lobbying efforts of the dukes show that Beatrice's survival on the throne depends on alliances and persuasion, not just birthright.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point on multiple fronts. Politically, it confirms that Beatrice has secured enough votes to survive the removal bill, resolving a major plot thread that has been building. But the emotional revelation about the argument with Teddy introduces a new source of conflict just as the political crisis seems to be resolving. The King Benjamin story deepens the novel's meditation on memory and identity, connecting Beatrice's personal struggle to a historical precedent within the royal family. The chapter ends on a cliffhanger of emotional uncertainty, setting up the next phase of the story.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does the King Benjamin painting function as a symbol in this chapter?

The turkey painting represents Beatrice's fear of transformation. King Benjamin's accident rewired his brain and turned him into an artist, fundamentally changing who he was. Beatrice sees her own accident in this light—she has lost memories, and she worries she has been changed in ways she cannot control or even perceive. The painting is also a reminder that change can produce unexpected beauty (the turkey is “charming” despite being absurd), suggesting that Beatrice's transformation might not be entirely negative.

2. Why does Beatrice react so strongly to learning about the argument and the “space” they agreed to take?

Beatrice has been relying on Teddy as a constant, stable presence in her life since waking from the accident. The revelation that they had argued and agreed to take space shows her that their relationship was not as solid as she believed. This undermines her trust in the foundation of their love and makes her question whether the feelings she has redeveloped are built on a relationship that was already fracturing. Her flight reflects her fear that the ground beneath her is not as stable as she thought.

3. How does the chapter balance Beatrice's political victory with her personal crisis?

The chapter deliberately juxtaposes Beatrice's political triumph—the straw poll showing she has enough votes—with her emotional unraveling. The victory gives her a sense of control and agency in the public sphere, but the revelation about Teddy strips away that sense of control in her private life. This contrast highlights the theme that political power does not guarantee personal happiness or security, and it sets up the central tension for the chapters to come.