Chapter 22: Grace Leaves Toronto and Enters Mr. Kinnear’s Household
⚠️ 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
Chapter 22 begins with Grace singing in the sewing room, waiting for Dr. Jordan. He arrives with a parsnip, prompting a conversation about its storage. Grace then continues her story from Mary’s death. She describes Mary’s burial: a plain pine coffin, white flowers and a hidden needle-case, and her own grief at the graveside. After Mary’s death, Grace leaves Mrs. Alderman Parkinson’s due to suspicion, swearing on a Bible not to reveal the man involved. She moves through several households—the Dixons, McManus, Coates, Haraghy, and Watson—each offering mixed treatment. At Haraghy’s, the master makes advances; Grace leaves before he can force entry. At Watson’s, she meets Nancy Montgomery, the housekeeper for Mr. Thomas Kinnear. Nancy offers a higher wage of three dollars a month. Despite Sally’s vague warnings, Grace is drawn to Nancy’s resemblance to Mary and accepts the position.
Key Events
- Grace sings “Rock of Ages” and Dr. Jordan comments on her voice, then places a parsnip on the table to test her memory associations.
- Mary’s burial: Grace arranges a plain coffin, white flowers, and a hidden red needle-case; she cuts a lock of Mary’s hair as a keepsake.
- Grace leaves Mrs. Alderman Parkinson’s after being asked to swear on the Bible that she will never name Mary’s lover.
- Series of households: Grace works at Dixon’s, McManus’s, Coates’s, Haraghy’s, and Watson’s, facing jealousy, religious fanaticism, and sexual harassment.
- Mr. Haraghy’s attempted liberties: He tries to enter her locked attic room; Grace gives notice the next day.
- Nancy Montgomery’s visit: She comes to Watson’s, buys silk and gloves at auction, and offers Grace a position as a second servant at Mr. Kinnear’s Richmond Hill estate.
- Sally’s veiled warnings: She hints at something unsuitable about the situation but refuses to be explicit.
- Grace decides to go, swayed by the higher pay and Nancy’s resemblance to her dead friend Mary Whitney.
Character Development
- Grace Marks: Shows grief and loneliness through her elaborate burial of Mary and her difficulty accepting Mary’s death. Her pragmatic survival instinct is evident as she navigates dangerous employers, always prepared to leave when threatened. The decision to follow Nancy reveals both her desire for companionship and her vulnerability to people who remind her of Mary.
- Dr. Jordan: Appears tired and distracted; his parsnip test shows his ongoing attempt to extract memory associations. Grace tests his attentiveness by claiming to have forgotten where they left off.
- Nancy Montgomery: Introduced as handsome, good-natured, and capable, but the details of her crimson silk dress and the absence of a mistress hint at a potentially improper relationship with Mr. Kinnear.
- Mary Whitney (posthumous): Remains a shaping presence; Grace keeps her hair, visits her grave, and sees Mary’s spirit in Nancy.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Class and Servitude: The chapter catalogues the precarious lives of female servants, who must balance wages against physical safety. Grace’s repeated moves illustrate how little power a maid has—even giving notice can mean losing a reference.
- Memory and the Persistence of the Past: Mary’s burial and Grace’s continued mourning show how the past refuses to stay buried. The parsnip test literalizes Dr. Jordan’s effort to dig up associations.
- Guilt and Suspicion: Mrs. Parkinson’s demand for a Bible oath and Sally’s cryptic warnings create a network of unspoken knowledge about sexual transgression, placing Grace under constant judgment.
- Female Bonds and Their Fragility: Grace’s attachment to Nancy is built on the memory of Mary, foreshadowing how this new relationship may also end in tragedy.
- Parlor vs. Back Passage: The contrast between the sewing room where Grace sings and the scullery where Haraghy grabs her underscores the two worlds a servant must straddle.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 22 consolidates the backstory leading directly into the central tragedy of the novel. It explains how Grace came to be at Mr. Kinnear’s estate, and why she was susceptible to Nancy’s offer. The chapter also deepens the parallels between Mary and Nancy, suggesting a pattern of charismatic women who lead Grace into dangerous situations. The accumulation of sexual threats, from Haraghy’s wheezing advances to the unnamed gentleman who caused Mary’s death, establishes the structural violence of the servant life that will culminate in murder. The symbolic white flowers of Mary’s funeral—petals scattered over her body like a bride—link innocence with death, a motif that will recur.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Grace decide to accept Nancy’s position despite Sally’s warnings?
Grace is motivated by three factors: the higher wage of three dollars a month, her loneliness after losing Mary, and Nancy’s striking resemblance to Mary Whitney. She admits she “had been depressed in spirits” and that Nancy reminded her of her dead friend. Sally’s hints are too vague to override these practical and emotional appeals. Grace also notes she can always return to Toronto if she dislikes the country.
2. What does the parsnip scene reveal about Dr. Jordan’s methods and Grace’s state of mind?
Dr. Jordan uses a parsnip as a memory prompt—a tool common in early psychological interviewing. Grace responds with a proverb and a practical fact about storage, showing she cooperates while maintaining control over what she reveals. His tired appearance suggests his investigation is taking a personal toll, and Grace’s test of his memory shows she is aware of being studied and manipulates the power dynamic.
3. How does Grace describe Mary’s burial, and what does the description reveal about her feelings?
Grace arranges a plain pine coffin, white roses and peonies, and secretly places a red needle-case in the coffin as a personal token. She cuts off and keeps a lock of Mary’s hair. The description emphasizes Mary’s bride-like appearance and Grace’s tears, connecting her grief to the loss of her own mother, who was thrown into the sea. This burial allows Grace to perform a ritual of respect that her mother never received, highlighting her need to control remembrance in the face of social erasure.