The Christie Affair

This chapter delves into themes of motherhood and the pain of being separated from one’s child. The mothers in the convent wake with milk spilled over their clothes from not being able to feed their children; this scene ties back into the idea of the body and the physical connection between the mother and their child. Bess also tells Nan about her sister Kitty, who “wants to be in pictures” (181). This small detail takes on greater importance when we learn of Kitty’s performance later. They also speak of their unborn children and swear to protect them from the world. Bess’s line, “He’ll never know a priest and he’ll never go to war” (183) takes on a new, prophetic meaning in light of the path she takes.

Moving forward in time, Nan reflects on Finbarr’s loyalty and the nature of men in general. She explores Archie’s agony over his missing wife, and we are again left to wonder how much of this moment is coming from him, and how much is Nan’s ideal of what he could be. Chilton speaks first with Miss Armstrong, then with Nan, about the deaths of the Marstons. Miss Armstrong is shown to be a hopeless romantic, struck with adoration for both the Leeches’ interracial romance and the Marstons’ star-crossed love. Again, Miss Armstrong is the outlier of the story, connected with neither Agatha’s disappearance nor the murders carried out by Nan and Bess. She is exactly who she appears to be, which makes her a loose cannon in classic mystery.

Later, Nan meets Finbarr and he takes her (and by proxy, Chilton) to what they will come to know as the Timeless Manor. Nan considers the magic with which he found the abandoned house, and Finbarr tells her, “The house gave me permission to stay” (205). This sets the groundwork for the timelessness and displacement from reality that the house will go on to have in their minds. Although this is not the first meeting between Chilton and Agatha, it is the first one in which they are open and honest with each other, each stripped of subterfuge and facade. This meeting in the Timeless Manor marks the beginning of their romance and a turning point for both characters.

After a brief interlude guest-starring Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Nan and Finbarr revisit the past and Nan’s motivations for breaking up the Christies’ marriage. The chapter also delves into Chilton’s past, visiting a difficult memory from his days in the war and giving insight into his kindness and despair. He meets the Race couple having an argument and steps in to protect Mrs. Race, again showing his firm yet gentle compassion. Here, further clues are dropped about the Races’ true goals. Finally, the chapter explores Nan and Agatha’s meeting face to face in this new, timeless place, their similarities and differences, and how they come together in solidarity as women.