The story in one page
James Adolphus Macartney and his wife Lucy live in Onslow Square, occupying a comfortable but stagnant middle-class existence. When Jimmy Urquhart enters their orbit, his attention to Lucy sparks a competitive, frantic impulse in James. James begins to pursue his own wife with a sudden, uncharacteristic fervor, leaving Lucy caught between the novelty of her husband’s attention and the lure of Urquhart’s interest. Through a series of social frictions, failed communications, and internal questioning, Lucy eventually recalibrates her loyalties toward her husband. The marriage holds, Urquhart leaves for Greece, and the couple prepares for the arrival of a daughter.
Who's who
- James Adolphus Macartney
A solicitor who reclaims his wife's attention through sudden sentimentality.
- Lucy Macartney
A wife who navigates the competing attentions of her husband and Urquhart.
- Jimmy Urquhart
An acquaintance whose admiration for Lucy disrupts the Macartney household balance.
- Lancelot
The couple's son who observes the family dynamics with youthful pragmatism.
What it's really about
- Domestic Entrenchment
- Habitual comfort masking hidden, restless emotional desires.
- Sentimental Reclamation
- Re-winning a spouse when faced with outside competition.
Why it's memorable
- Lucy attempting to touch her husband’s hair while he is distracted by the evening paper.
- A letter from Greece arriving for Lucy long after the marital crisis has resolved.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
After the birth of a daughter, Urquhart sends a final farewell letter from his departure for the Greek navy. Lucy considers writing back, while her son Lancelot insists that he will do the same.
For your book club
- The role of jealousy in reviving a dormant marriage.
- The thin line between romantic intensity and mere sentimentality.