Summary

It was hot in the city as Chapter Fifteen opens and the precinct was muggy. Odalie told Rose that they needed a vacation. Odalie took care of everything, including arranging for the time off of work. They took a car out to a Long Island beach house where a garden party was taking place. There were gilded mirrors and waiters with trays of champagne. Odalie loaned Rose an expensive dress. Odalie has a letter of introduction to give to the Brinkleys and when Rose asked if it was from the Hungarian, Odalie gave her a look of anger. Rose briefly breaks the narrative to comment on the doctor currently treating her because she has “complained before that he is not particularly keen" (223) on her. As Rose and Odalie made their way in, Rose felt that her plainness “melted away” (224) in Odalie’s presence...