Chapter 9 - The Summer of Questions: Secrets, Lies, and a Cousin's Betrayal

⚠️ 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

In the summer of 1966, twenty-year-old Riva Stern returns to Washington, D.C., to work as an assistant bookkeeper at the H. G. Withers Company. She is irritated to learn that her cousin David Goldring has also been hired as a finance officer—a position that outranks hers. Despite her resentment, David showers her with attention, asking endless personal questions. Their relationship becomes romantic, and they begin secretly meeting. David eventually reveals a long-hidden family secret: Riva's father stole the Goldring Brothers payroll to cover a gambling habit. The revelation shatters Riva's perception of her family. As summer ends, David grows distant, and Riva suspects he is involved with Alma, the senior bookkeeper. She follows David and sees Alma kiss him on her porch. The chapter closes with Riva phoning to say goodbye and later encountering Alma years later in Woolworth's.

Key Events

Riva starts her second summer at the Withers Company, promoted to assistant bookkeeper.
She learns her cousin David is also working there as a finance officer, sparking resentment.
David persistently questions Riva about her life, creating an intimate bond.
The secret relationship develops; they kiss and later become physically intimate.
David reveals that Riva's father stole the Goldring payroll to fund a gambling addiction.
Riva realizes her mother has been hiding the truth and that her family's image is a lie.
David's attention wanes; Riva suspects he is seeing Alma, the senior bookkeeper.
Riva follows David and witnesses Alma kissing him on her porch.
On her last day of work, the bookkeepers give Riva gloves; Alma writes a dismissive note.
Two years later, Riva briefly encounters Alma at Woolworth's, where they share a cigarette.

Character Development

Riva Stern: Riva transitions from a naive, ambitious young woman to someone forced to confront her family's flawed reality. Her discovery of her father's gambling and her mother's complicity shakes her self-confidence. She also learns about betrayal when David drops her. By the chapter's end, she begins to develop a more cynical, observational stance, mirroring the anthropologist she aspires to become.
David Goldring: David is charming, inquisitive, and deliberately obtuse. His relentless questions mask a lack of genuine interest in Riva's answers. He is revealed as manipulative, using his appeal to gain sexual access while remaining emotionally detached. His affair with Alma confirms his pattern of using people for his own gratification.
Alma: The senior bookkeeper initially appears maternal and jolly but is shown to be sexually forward and predatory. She collects dirty jokes and pursues David. Her final note to Riva ("Find yourself a nice guy") is both condescending and ironic given her own behavior.
Mrs. Stern: Riva's mother emerges as a passive enabler, hiding the family's financial and moral crises under a veneer of normalcy. Her "allergies" and distractions shield her from confronting her husband's gambling.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

The Price of Family Secrets: The chapter centers on the destructive power of concealed truths. Riva's father's theft is known by everyone but her; the revelation forces her to reevaluate every family interaction.
Surveillance and Observation: Riva's anthropology studies parallel her role as an observer. She watches David, the bookkeepers, and later follows him to confirm her suspicions. The act of watching becomes a way of seeking truth.
The Female Workplace: The bookkeeping department is described as a "harem," isolated from male spaces. The women adhere to restrictive rules (no trousers, no smoking) yet maintain a complex social code. Their world is both a refuge and a cage.
Smoking as Transgression: Cigarettes symbolize rebellion and intimacy. Riva is forbidden to smoke but does so secretly; David blows smoke into her mouth; Alma and she share a cigarette in Woolworth's. Smoking marks moments of defiance or connection.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 9 is foundational for Riva's character arc. It exposes the central lie of her childhood and shifts her understanding of her parents. The parallel between David's manipulation and her father's betrayal deepens her distrust of men. The chapter also establishes the workplace as a microcosm of the social pressures women face—Alma's hard-won independence versus Mrs. Stern's complicity. The revelation about Riva's father will likely reverberate through the rest of the novel, shaping her future relationships and career choices.

Study Questions and Answers

Question: How does Riva's perception of her family change after David reveals the truth about her father? Answer: Riva realizes that her father's gambling and theft are the real source of family tension, not her father's occupation or Uncle Mel's snobbery. She sees her mother's evasions (allergies, polishing silver) as deliberate cover-ups. The image of her family shatters, leaving her feeling naive and isolated.
Question: What does the recurrence of questions in this chapter reveal about David's character? Answer: David's constant questions aim to create intimacy and make Riva feel special, but he pays little attention to her answers. His questioning is a technique to maintain control and divert attention from himself. It contrasts with his own evasiveness when asked about the "big rift." The pattern reveals him as emotionally shallow and manipulative.
Question: How does the depiction of the bookkeeping department comment on women's roles in the 1960s? Answer: The department is segregated from male offices, with strict dress and behavior codes. Women are forbidden to smoke but must keep ashtrays for male visitors. Alma's career path—twenty-three years in the same job—highlights limited opportunities. Yet the women create a supportive community (sharing food, jokes, health stories). Their lives represent both the constraints and the resilience of mid-century working women.