Chapter summaries Road Trip Mary Kay Andrews

Road Trip Chapter 38 (Chapter 37): The 1926 Gazetteer and Kathleen’s Letter

🚨 Spoiler Notice

This page contains details from Chapter 38 of Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews (listed as Chapter 37 in the book). If you have not yet read this chapter, proceed with caution.

Summary

Sitting on the inn’s verandah after the rain clears, Therese and Maeve examine a 1926 newspaper article from the Dublin Gazetteer on Maeve’s phone. The article reports that Lady Delia Rossington was found stabbed to death in the portrait gallery of Tarrymore, County Wicklow. Authorities suspect her ward, Kathleen Connor (18), and a family retainer, Clive Donovan, have fled with a valuable painting, jewelry, and cash. Therese suddenly remembers seeing Donovan’s name in one of Kathleen’s letters. She retrieves the letter, which Kathleen wrote from New York City to her brother in 1926. In it, Kathleen describes the night she was sent away: Lady Delia gave her the painting of Lady Geraldine, money, and jewelry as an inheritance, then went downstairs and screamed. Kathleen fled to the barn, met Clive Donovan, and was driven to Cobh. She now works in a shirt factory, finds freedom in America, and signs off as “your loving sister, Kathleen.” Maeve and Therese reflect on the strength passed down through their female ancestors. They decide they must pursue the second portrait’s reappearance and the 1974 IRA robbery. Maeve agrees to call Liam and ask for an introduction to his cousin’s husband, Jamie McGahee, who might know more.

Key Events

  • Therese and Maeve read a 1926 newspaper article about Lady Delia’s murder and the theft of a painting, jewelry, and cash.
  • The article implicates Kathleen Connor and Clive Donovan; Lady Fiona offers a reward.
  • Therese remembers seeing the name Donovan in one of Kathleen’s letters.
  • Maeve reads Kathleen’s letter aloud: it recounts the night of the scream, the inheritance, and her new life in New York.
  • The sisters connect Kathleen’s story to their own family’s resilience.
  • They acknowledge they still don’t know how the second portrait of Lady Geraldine resurfaced fifty years later.
  • Maeve phones Liam to request a meeting with Jamie McGahee, the son of Starr McGahee, who might have information about the 1974 IRA robbery.

Character Development

  • Therese shows her resourcefulness by recalling Donovan’s name from a prior letter, and she pushes Maeve to take action. She also reveals vulnerability about a past scam agent, showing she has learned to be cautious.
  • Maeve grows more assertive, overcoming her reluctance to ask Liam for a favor. She recognises that her own problems are minor compared to Kathleen’s struggles, gaining perspective.
  • Kathleen Connor emerges fully as a bold, brave woman who chose freedom over safety. Her letter reveals her courage and gratitude for her brother’s help, and her determination to forge a new identity in America.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Inheritance and legacy: Kathleen’s “rightful inheritance” — the painting, money, and jewelry — becomes a physical symbol of the family’s hidden history. The sisters see their own grit as an inheritance from Kathleen and other female relatives.
  • Perspective and resilience: The chapter contrasts Kathleen’s harrowing escape with Maeve and Therese’s “minor” problems. The motif of “badass” women underscores how the past informs the present.
  • Secrets and the unreliability of official narratives: The newspaper article suggests Kathleen and Donovan are guilty, but Kathleen’s letter presents a very different account of the night, suggesting the Rossington family lied.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter provides the first clear, first-person account of the 1926 events from Kathleen’s perspective, validating that she was not a murderer but a pawn in Lady Delia’s plan. It also explains how the painting of Lady Geraldine left Tarrymore. Simultaneously, the chapter sets up the next phase of the investigation: tracking down Jamie McGahee to learn how the painting resurfaced six decades later. It deepens the bond between the sisters and reinforces their motivation to uncover the truth for their mother.

Study Questions and Answers

1. What new information does Kathleen’s letter provide about the night of Lady Delia’s death?
Kathleen’s letter reveals that Lady Delia deliberately gave her a painting, money, and jewelry as an inheritance, instructed her to flee, and then screamed when the family returned. Kathleen did not stab Lady Delia; she was sent away before the murder occurred. The letter contradicts the newspaper’s accusation that she and Clive Donovan were thieves and killers.

2. How does Therese’s discovery of the Donovan connection advance the sisters’ investigation?
Therese’s memory links Clive Donovan to Kathleen’s escape, confirming he was a trusted helper, not an abettor of murder. This shifts suspicion from the servants to the Rossington family themselves. It also reinforces the need to find Jamie McGahee, whose mother Starr was involved in the 1974 IRA art heist, to learn how the portrait later appeared.

3. What thematic purpose does the inclusion of Kathleen’s letter serve in the chapter?
The letter illustrates the theme of perspective and resilience: Kathleen’s brutal transition to factory work and her newfound freedom in NYC overshadow the sisters’ current worries. It also strengthens the motif of strong women; Maeve and Therese see themselves as the latest link in that chain, re-energizing their mission.

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