His Prepar'd Prey: Chapter 21 Summary and 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 in York, where Freda and Florence have just left the Picture House and are eating chips in St Helen's Square. Freda proposes they run away to London to become stage performers, and Florence, still under the spell of the pantomime Dick Whittington, eagerly agrees. Freda dismisses the idea that London's streets are paved with gold, but her practical warning is lost on Florence.

Freda executes the escape plan with cold efficiency. She steals four pounds and ten shillings from Mr Birdwhistle's wallet while he is occupied with Gladys in the parlour, using the cover of a gramophone record to hide her actions. She leaves a farewell note for her mother on pink notepaper, promising to become famous. Florence contributes nearly two pounds from her smashed piggy bank and, more troublingly, steals a string of pearls, a turquoise cuff, and an enamel bluebird brooch belonging to Mrs Ingram. Freda is alarmed and tells Florence to put the jewellery away, fearing the consequences.

They travel by third-class train to London. At King's Cross, a woman approaches them offering lodgings; Florence is ready to accept, but Freda drags her away, warning her about the dangers of the city. They eventually find a boarding house on Henrietta Street run by Mrs Darling, a grim woman whose appearance and manner are far from reassuring. The room is in the attic, and the food is terrible.

Freda and Florence enrol at the Vanbrugh Academy of Dance under Miss Ada Sherbourne, a strict instructor who uses a cane. They attend West End auditions, but Florence has no talent and Freda only manages a few nervous bars before being dismissed. Miss Sherbourne tells Freda that standards in London are higher than in the provinces and hints that nightclubs are always looking for dancers.

As weeks pass, Florence loses interest in performing. She spends her time visiting London sights, sending postcards to her parents without a return address, and buying trinkets she doesn't need. She becomes obsessed with the curse of Tutankhamun, believing the pharaoh's spirit is haunting the streets. She also attends Mass regularly at Corpus Christi church, which Freda finds puzzling. Freda, meanwhile, grows increasingly remorseful about the anxiety she is causing the Ingrams. She reflects that she has become like the Pied Piper, leading Florence away from home, and fears the venture will end badly.

Key Events

Freda proposes running away to London to become stage performers.
Freda steals money from Mr Birdwhistle's wallet while he is distracted with Gladys.
Florence steals jewellery belonging to Mrs Ingram and contributes money from her piggy bank.
The girls take the train to London and find lodgings at Mrs Darling's boarding house on Henrietta Street.
They enrol at the Vanbrugh Academy of Dance and attend West End auditions with little success.
Florence loses interest in performing, visits London sights, and sends postcards to her parents without a return address.
Florence becomes preoccupied with Tutankhamun's curse and attends Mass regularly.
Freda reflects on her role as the Pied Piper and feels growing guilt about leading Florence away.

Character Development

Freda emerges as the more pragmatic and morally aware of the two. She justifies stealing from Mr Birdwhistle by citing his own lack of morals, but she is genuinely troubled by the theft of Mrs Ingram's jewellery and by the distress she is causing the Ingrams. Her internal conflict deepens as she realises she has taken on the role of the Pied Piper, leading Florence into unknown dangers. Freda's experience of hardship—she has had to fend for herself her whole life—contrasts sharply with Florence's sheltered upbringing.

Florence remains childlike and naive throughout the chapter. She is easily excited by the idea of London, believes in angels and fairies, and is oblivious to the dangers around her. Her lack of guilt about the stolen jewellery and her carefree postcards home reveal her immaturity. Her shift from enthusiasm for the stage to a passive interest in sightseeing and superstition shows her inability to commit to the harsh realities of pursuing a career.

Miss Ada Sherbourne serves as a minor but telling figure: her assessment of Florence's lack of talent and her dark hint about nightclubs underscore the precariousness of the girls' situation.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Escape and the Myth of the City: The chapter explores the contrast between the romantic idea of London as a place of opportunity and the grim reality of cheap lodgings, failed auditions, and predatory figures like Mrs Darling.
Innocence versus Experience: Freda's wariness and Florence's gullibility highlight the theme of innocence confronting a hostile world. Florence's belief in angels and the curse of Tutankhamun contrasts with Freda's scepticism.
Predatory Danger: The boarding house's demonic door knocker, Mrs Darling's unsettling behaviour, and Freda's warnings about the white slave trade all suggest that the city is a place of hidden threats.
Guilt and Remorse: Freda's growing guilt about the Ingrams and her role in leading Florence away is a central emotional thread. Florence's apparent lack of guilt is a point of contrast.
Superstition and Faith: Florence's obsession with Tutankhamun's curse and her regular attendance at Mass reflect her need for meaning and absolution, while Freda views these with scepticism.
Pied Piper Allusion: Freda explicitly compares herself to the Pied Piper, suggesting that she has lured Florence into a dangerous situation from which she may not be able to return.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens the characterisation of Freda and Florence and sets up the central tension of their London adventure. It shows Freda's moral awakening as she begins to question her own actions and take responsibility for Florence's welfare. The chapter also introduces the theme of the city as a place of both allure and peril, which resonates with the novel's broader exploration of London's nightlife and its dangers. The Pied Piper allusion foreshadows potential tragedy and reinforces the idea that Freda's well-intentioned escape plan may have unintended consequences.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does Freda justify stealing from Mr Birdwhistle, and what does this reveal about her character?

Freda justifies the theft by reasoning that Mr Birdwhistle's own lack of morals makes him a fair target. She also takes pleasure in imagining his anger when he discovers the loss. This reveals her pragmatic, survival-oriented mindset, shaped by a life of hardship. However, her later guilt about the Ingrams shows that she is not entirely hardened; she has a moral compass that distinguishes between a deserving victim and innocent ones.

2. What does Florence's behaviour in London reveal about her personality and her readiness for independence?

Florence's behaviour reveals her immaturity and lack of preparation for independence. She is easily distracted by consumer goods, sends cheerful postcards without a return address, and becomes absorbed in superstition rather than focusing on her career. Her inability to grasp the seriousness of their situation—such as the theft of Mrs Ingram's jewellery—shows that she is still a child at heart, ill-equipped to handle the challenges of the city.

3. How does the Pied Piper allusion function in this chapter, and what does it suggest about Freda's feelings?

Freda recalls playing the lame boy left behind by the Pied Piper in a childhood production, and she now realises that she has become the Piper herself, leading Florence away from home. This allusion suggests that Freda feels a heavy responsibility for Florence's fate and fears that she has set in motion a chain of events that will end badly. It also implies that Florence may be the one left behind or harmed, echoing the fate of the children in the legend.