70 pages • 2 hours read
Mary Elizabeth BraddonLady Audley's Secret
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1862A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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BetaVolume 1, Chapters 11-15Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Volume 1, Chapter 11 Summary: "The Mark upon My Lady’s Wrist"
While visiting Audley Court, Robert describes George’s continuing grief over his wife’s death, as well as his own fears that George might do something rash. Lady Audley finds his surprising, as she had imagined that a man could easily replace one wife with another, but Robert insists that that is not George’s nature.
During dinner, Sir Michael says that he is happy to see his wife in good spirits, as she had been disappointed the previous day when they had been unable to locate her old schoolmistress.
Later, Lady Audley plays a melancholic sonata by Beethoven on the piano, and Robert observes that it seems contrary to her upbeat nature. Sir Michael notices that she has bruised her wrist, and she says that it is from winding a ribbon around her arm too tightly. On closer inspection, the bruise is made up of what look like finger marks. Though Lady Audley’s story is plausible, Robert is skeptical.
When Robert returns to the inn, he resolves to find George. His determination suggests that, were he ever to take on a brief, he might prove more capable than his fellow magistrates imagine.
Volume 1, Chapter 12 Summary: "Still Missing"
Returning home, Robert finds the apartment as he left it and the landlady confirms that George has not returned. Robert then visits George’s father-in-law, who tells him that George visited him the previous night. George is to set sail from Liverpool and, possibly, won’t return. Robert finds it extraordinary that George did not say anything to him.
Hearing this conversation, George’s son fixes his eyes on Robert and asks, “Where's the pretty lady?” (84). His grandfather says that he is talking about the wife of an old captain who gave him gifts, such as an expensive watch. Unbeknownst to the child, however, his grandfather often has to pawn the watch to earn money.
Robert is left alone while Mr. Maldon puts the child to bed. Taking out a cigar, he looks for something with which to light it. A half-burnt piece of paper lying on the hearthrug catches his eye. It is part of a telegraph. It reads: “—alboys came to last night, and left by the mail for London, on his way for Liverpool, whence he was to sail for Sydney” (85).
Robert is confused and decides to make inquiries in Liverpool.
Volume 1, Chapter 13 Summary: "Troubled Dreams"
Returning to his apartment, Robert tries in vain to find any letters that George might have left. He resolves that, if there is no letter in the following morning’s mail, he will set off for Liverpool. He then falls asleep, but is plagued by unpleasant dreams regarding George and his late wife.
He is woken by a knock at the door and assumes that it is the landlady. Since she has a duplicate key, Robert does not see why he should have to answer the door. Shortly afterwards, the landlady enters, but insists that she had not knocked at the door. Robert tries to reassure himself that, if the visitor had news of George, they would return. In reality, though, he believes there is something mysterious about George’s disappearance, and leaves for Liverpool the next day.
By the time he reaches Liverpool, it is too late to pursue his inquiries. The next morning, he questions a clerk at the shipping office and learns that no one called George Talboys is listed as a passenger on any vessel. He then returns to Southampton, where he decides that George is in England—either alive or dead.
Later, he draws up a list of all known facts relating to George’s disappearance. While doing so, he wonders if he should have pursued the legal profession properly, instead of frittering his life away. He consequently resolves to resume his search in Audley.
Volume 1, Chapter 14 Summary: "Phoebe’s Suitor"
Two or three days after Robert’s return to town, Sir Michael Audley sees a missing persons advertisement for George in a newspaper. Despite the fact that the ad is published three times, no one at Audley Court seems concerned.
Alicia is still resents Lady Audley, despite her best efforts to be amiable, and the Lady therefore relies on Phoebe for companionship. However, Phoebe intends to leave her job.
Given her generous wage and non-taxing work, it seems strange that Phoebe wishes to leave her position. Lady Audley bemoans the fact that Phoebe intends to marry such an “awkward, ugly creature” (96) and Phoebe admits that she does not love Luke, but promised to marry him years ago. Were she to go back on her word, she fears that Luke might react violently. Lady Audley suggests paying Luke to go away, but Phoebe insists that she must marry him. Lady Audley imagines that there must be some secret reason for this, and Phoebe confirms that this is true.
Lady Audley asks what Luke means to do for a living, and Phoebe tells her about the public house. Lady Audley offers to pay for it, for which Phoebe is grateful. Luke, however, says, “Fifty pound ain’t much to start a public. You'll make it a hundred.” Lady Audley bristles at this, but Luke is adamant. Lady Audley yells at Phoebe, “You have told this man!” (98). Phoebe begs her Lady’s forgiveness, insisting that Luke forced her to tell.
Volume 1, Chapter 15 Summary: "On the Watch"
Phoebe and Luke’s wedding takes place on a gloomy November day and is an untidy affair, but Luke does not care. He has received money from Lady Audley for the public house, and the business is doing well.
Back at Audley Court, Robert has returned for the hunting season, though he spends all his time indoors. Alicia rebukes Robert for his lethargy and starts sobbing. She claims that a feather has got into her eye, and darts out the room. Robert laments the fact that Alicia has grown up in the countryside, rather than in a civilized environment.
In all the time Robert had been at the court, neither he nor Lady Audley has mentioned George. However, after having exhausted all other topics of conversation, Lady Audley inquires about him. Robert tells her the story of George’s disappearance, concluding that George never went to Southampton. He adds that he has reason to question the integrity of George’s father-in-law based on circumstantial evidence, such as a fragment of a letter. The color drains from Lady Audley’s face.
Volume 1, Chapters 11-15 Analysis
Unlike the other characters, Robert is concerned about George. When Robert remarks upon George’s grief about his wife, Lady Audley says that she had imagined a man could simply replace on wife with another. Though a seemingly offhand remark, this shows the difference between George’s and Lady Audley’s attitudes. George loved his wife and was grief-stricken by her death, while Lady Audley is more mercenary.
When the Lady plays a melancholy sonata on the piano, George observes that it seems contrary to her nature. This consequently highlights the fact that the Lady is not merely the angelic, charming woman that she appears to be. It also suggests that Audley Court is not always a place of contentment; rather, something mysterious and potentially sinister is lurking beneath the surface.
Another plot development occurs when Sir Michael and Robert observe bruises that look like finger marks on the Lady’s wrist, along with another mark that looks as though it were caused by a ring. The Lady claims it was caused by winding a ribbon too tightly around her wrist, but, while Sir Michael, of course, accepts his wife’s story, Robert is skeptical. This marks the beginning of his suspicions about Lady Audley. .
At this point, Robert embarks on his role as amateur detective. Indeed, Robert starts to think that he would potentially excel as a barrister were he to pursue his career. This consequently marks the point at which Robert moves into the role of central protagonist and detective, which moves the plot forward and sees Robert develop as a character.
Robert begins his investigations in Chapter 12, with a visit to George’s father-in-law. During his visit, he meets George’s young son, who refers to the “pretty lady” (84) who gave him a watch. It is apparent that this boy is liable to say things that some of the other characters would prefer to remain hidden. There is also a palpable contrast between Mr. Maldon’s shabby, meager lifestyle and the mysterious visitor who is beautiful and wealthy.
Another clue emerges when Robert finds a partially burnt telegraph stating “—alboys came to last night, and left by the mail for London, on his way for Liverpool, whence he was to sail for Sydney” (85). This urges Robert along in his investigations, thereby advancing the plot.
After a futile search in Liverpool in Chapter 13, Robert decides to draw up a list of the facts relating to George’s disappearance. Again, he thinks that the legal profession might suit him after all.
In Chapter 14, the novel returns to Audley Hall, where Lady Audley recounts a story in which a beautiful woman harbored a secret that was only discovered in her old age, whereupon she was sentenced to death. It is clear that she is thinking about her own situation and possible fate.
While talking with Phoebe, Lady Audley reveals her disdain for Luke Marks. Certainly, the two are presented as contrasting characters: Lady Audley is vain and has a strong sense of social status, as well as a taste for luxury. Luke, meanwhile, hates snobbery. When he tells Lady Audley about the public house that he wishes to run, he demands that she fund the venture. Here, the novel makes explicit what was only hinted at earlier: that the couple intends to extort money from Lady Audley.
Lady Audley is shocked that Phoebe has revealed her secrets to Mark, but the reader is already aware of Phoebe’s intentions. Furthermore, despite their amiable relationship, Lady Audley and Phoebe are hardly true friends. We are also conscious that, despite her protestations that Luke is responsible, Phoebe was the one who first considered the possibility of extortion. In fact, she is shown as the more scheming and intelligent of the two, though Luke has no qualms about taking money from a woman he clearly dislikes.
In Chapter 15, we learn that Luke and Phoebe have received money to open their public house, which is hardly surprising given Lady Audley’s desperation to maintain her secret.
Another minor plotline concerns Alicia’s desire to marry Robert, and her frustration with his failure to perceive this fact. He, in turn, is annoyed by her boisterousness and immaturity. This storyline adds an element of levity to the otherwise serious narrative.
This chapter is also notable for being the first point at which Robert confronts Lady Audley alone. Though he does not accuse her of anything outright, he tells her about the evidence he has collected and his belief that George did not leave England, as his father-in-law claims. As the color drains from her face, it is evident that Robert’s investigations are on the right track.
