Chapter 3 Summary

Kay goes to the public library to research Beryl's work. She finds a rare newspaper announcement of a lecture to the Daughters of the American Revolution in November and calls the DAR contact, Mrs. J. R. McTigue. The elderly lady agrees to a visit at the Chamberlayne Gardens retirement home. Over port and cheese biscuits Mrs. McTigue tells Kay about her late husband, Joe, doing construction work on Cary Harper's Cutler Grove estate and getting her in touch with a young novelist, Beryl Madison. Mrs. Grove recalls Beryl being charming, gracious, and modest at the annual luncheon. She seems to write for the joy of writing and shuns attention. Harper seems shy, unhappy, and conceited. Seeing Mrs. McTigue's sadness, Kay offers to visit again and at home phones her own mother, whose health is declining. Mention of Mark brings a reminder that he...