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 2, Chapters 11-13Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Volume 2, Chapter 11 Summary: "In the Lime-Walk"
When Lady Audley and Alicia return to the Court, Robert and Alicia engage in more squabbling. He sees her as a nice, generous girl, but . . . at this point, Robert experiences “some hitch in his mind” (224) that is unconnected with George’s disappearance.
When Lady Audley asks Robert where he has been, he tells her that he has been to the town where George was married. She tells him that she is nervous, and he replies that this is because the house is “haunted by the ghost of George Talboys” (226). Lady Audley insists that George is a stranger to her. Nevertheless, Robert proceeds to tell her how George returned from Australia only to learn that his wife was dead. He has since grown to believe that the announcement was a lie. He supposes that she had married a richer man while George was away and wanted to throw her first husband off the scent.
If George’s wife didn’t die, Lady Audley asks, who is lying in the churchyard at Ventnor? Robert replies that only three people can answer that—one of whom is a woman called Mrs. Plowson. He tells Lady Audley to heed his warning and flees, assuring her that if she does so, he will not pursue his investigations. Lady Audley insists that Robert is being ridiculous, but Robert says that he has adequate circumstantial evidence.
Robert asks if Lady Audley has any witnesses who can disprove his conclusions, and she reiterates that Robert is mad and that such theories have led apparently sane people to end up in an asylum. Robert feels that this is a threat and shivers with horror as he thinks of the horrible crimes committed by women throughout history.
As they walk through the garden, Robert thinks about George’s meeting with Lady Audley on the day of his disappearance. Robert tells Lady Audley, “It is to be a duel to the death, then” (234), before expressing his belief that George never left the garden. He says that he will have the garden excavated if necessary, but Lady Audley warns him, “I will kill you first” (235).
After Robert has departed, Lady Audley asks Alicia if Robert’s parents were “peculiar” (237). When Alicia says that his father was “a little eccentric” (237), Lady Audley remarks that Robert may be mad. She adds that she will put Sir Michael on his guard because “he will believe anything that I tell him” (238).
Volume 2, Chapter 12 Summary: "Preparing the Ground"
Upon learning that Lady Audley had arrived home an hour ago, Sir Michel asks what she has been doing. She replies that she has been talking to Robert, but that he had hurried away uttering “some ridiculous excuse about business at Mount Stanning” (239). Sir Michael exclaims, “I think that boy is half mad” (240), and Lady Audley’s face displays a triumphant smile.
Sir Michael asks what they had talked about, and Lady Audley starts crying. When Sir Michael insists on knowing who upset her, Lady Audley replies that it was Robert and asks if Sir Michael has ever thought him mad. He is shocked, but Lady Audley says that madness can be hereditary. Sir Michael does not know of any madness in the family but Lady Audley insists that he is a madman who is convinced that George Talboys has been murdered.
Sir Michael assumes that Robert will visit again tomorrow. Still, he does not know why Robert’s statements should have upset Lady Audley so much. She replies that Robert implicated her in George’s disappearance, and Sir Michael concludes that he must, indeed, be mad. She pleads with Sir Michael not to let anyone influence him against her, and he assures her that he will not.
Lady Audley thinks that it is Robert’s turn to be afraid.
Volume 2, Chapter 13 Summary: "Phoebe’s Petition"
There is still a gulf between Alicia and Lady Audley, with the latter having gradually gained power over the household. Alicia now feels detached from her father, as he is devoted entirely to his wife.
Lady Audley’s boudoir is the epitome of refinement and elegance, yet, since heading down a path of crime, fear, and cruelty she can no longer enjoy its opulence. At this point, what would bring her the most pleasure would be Robert’s death.
Lady Audley believes that she was not wicked when she was young, and, even now, she sees her actions as the result of impulse rather than intricate plots. She wonders if Robert will really act as he says or if he will be dissuaded by the distress it would cause Sir Michael. Perhaps death is the only thing that will stop him?
There is a knock at the door, and Phoebe enters. Lady Audley says that she is terribly miserable, and Phoebe asks if this is on account of the secret. Lady Audley says that she is being tormented by a man she has never injured, and Phoebe correctly assumes she means Robert. She tells Lady Audley that Robert is staying at the inn, and Lady Audley believes he is trying to wring her secrets from Luke. Lady Audley then turns angrily to Phoebe, asking why she has left Luke alone to talk to Robert, but Phoebe says that Luke ordered her to come to the Court in order to obtain more money.
Phoebe wants Lady Audley to make it clear to Luke that this is the final time that she will give Luke money while he is at the inn. Lady Audley asks why, and Phoebe reveals that Luke is ill-suited to his role as landlord and drinks excessively; the inn nearly burned down as a result of his carelessness. Lady Audley thinks that it would be preferable for Luke to burn to death. Nevertheless, she has a greater foe.
Lady Audley agrees that Luke can have the money. Phoebe then gives her a letter from Robert, informing her that he is at Wildernsea where he hopes to find someone who can identify her as Helen Talboys. Lady Audley throws the letter into the fire and mutters that, were Robert standing in front of her, she would kill him.
Volume 2, Chapters 11-13 Analysis
Chapter 11 sees Robert thinking about his relationship with Alicia. Though she is a nice girl, he does not love her the way that she wants him to. When he experiences a sudden break in his musings about Alicia, it seems likely that he himself has suddenly realized the extent of his feelings for Clara—especially as this break in thought has nothing to do with George’s disappearance, the usual topic with which Robert is preoccupied.
Robert is still offering Lady Audley the chance to flee, but she accuses him of being mad—which he correctly interprets as a threat. A vital moment occurs when Robert reveals his conviction that George is buried in the garden of Audley Court. Following his declaration that he will have the garden excavated if necessary, Lady Audley threatens to kill him. She had made such statements behind his back before, but this is the first time she has said something like this to his face.
Following on from her earlier statement, the Lady starts sowing the seeds of doubt about Robert’s sanity. When she says to Alicia that Sir Michael will believe anything she tells him, we can see that she is confident in her ability to manipulate and control her husband.
As seen in Chapter 12, Sir Michael is skeptical at first, but starts to think that the Lady might be right upon hearing of Robert’s wild ideas and accusations. She begs him to believe in her and he professes his continuing loyalty. He sees himself as his innocent wife’s protector but, secretly, Lady Audley thinks that it is Robert’s turn to be afraid.
At the beginning of Chapter 13, Lady Audley still rules over the household, though she is secretly plagued with anxiety about Robert. When she hears that Robert is staying at the Castle Inn, she surmises that he is trying to interrogate Luke.
When Phoebe reveals that Luke almost burned the inn down as a result of his carelessness when he was drunk, the Lady does not pay much attention. Still, this will prove an important piece of information.
