Cousin Henry · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Cousin Henry by Anthony Trollope.
Chapter 1
I: Uncle Indefer
The chapter introduces Squire Indefer Jones and his niece Isabel Brodrick at Llanfeare. The Squire is tormented by his conscience over the inheritance of the estate, torn between his duty to pass it to a male heir (his nephew Henry Jones) and his love for Isabel. Isabel refuses to marry Cousin Henry, and the Squire ultimately makes a new will in Henry's favor, though he is deeply troubled.
Chapter 2
Isabel Brodrick
Isabel Brodrick reflects on her difficult position as her uncle, Squire Indefer Jones, has decided to leave the Llanfeare estate to his nephew Cousin Henry instead of to her. She recalls her previous romance with the minor canon William Owen, which her uncle opposed due to Owen's humble origins. Despite her own feelings, Isabel has obeyed her uncle's wishes and broken off the relationship. Now, she must navigate her uncle's expectation that she marry Cousin Henry to keep the estate in the family, while she secretly still loves Owen and feels the weight of her duty and her uncertain future.
Chapter 3
III: Cousin Henry
Cousin Henry arrives at Llanfeare and finds his position precarious, as his uncle Indefer Jones vacillates between duty and affection for Isabel. Henry attempts to press his suit with Isabel, but she firmly rejects him, declaring him odious. The chapter explores Henry's nervous maneuvering to secure the inheritance and the uncle's internal conflict over primogeniture versus love.
Chapter 4
IV: The Squire’s Death
Isabel leaves Llanfeare for Hereford, troubled by her uncle's sorrow and the presence of Cousin Henry. After her arrival, Mr. Owen renews his suit, but Isabel, having refused him when she believed herself the heiress, struggles with her conscience and resolves not to accept him now that she is poor. Their second interview is interrupted by a telegram from Carmarthen announcing the Squire's death.
Chapter 5
Preparing for the Funeral
In the days following Squire Indefer Jones's death, Isabel Brodrick assumes the role of mistress of Llanfeare until after the funeral, keeping the keys despite Cousin Henry's servile request. She wrestles with her uncle's dying words—'It is all right. It is done'—which she suspects refer to a later will in her favor, yet she resolves to remain silent unless evidence emerges. Her dislike for Cousin Henry grows, and she learns from the housekeeper that a new will may have been executed after her departure. Cousin Henry isolates himself in the book-room, growing pale and wan. On the funeral morning, Isabel informs him of the day's proceedings, including the reading of the will before tenants, and announces her plan to return to Hereford on Wednesday.
Chapter 6
Mr. Apjohn's Explanation
After the funeral of Squire Indefer Jones, the will is to be read. Mr. Apjohn, the attorney, explains the circumstances surrounding the last will, expressing his distaste for the will favoring Cousin Henry and hinting at the possibility of a later will. The tension is palpable as Cousin Henry shows visible signs of distress. Joseph Cantor and his son testify to witnessing a later will signed by the Squire.
Chapter 7
Looking for the Will
The search for the Squire's later will continues until evening, with Mr. Apjohn returning to Carmarthen and planning to send men to continue the search. Isabel retreats to her room, troubled by the implications of the missing will. Cousin Henry, alone in the book-room late at night, wrestles with his conscience over the hidden will he discovered inside a volume of Jeremy Taylor's works. He considers destroying it or revealing it, but ultimately restores the book to its shelf, unable to act. The butler interrupts him, and Henry asserts his authority.
Chapter 8
The Reading of the Will
Cousin Henry, now the acknowledged heir, struggles with the hidden will that would disinherit him. He considers destroying it or revealing it, but cannot bring himself to do either. A thorough search of the house fails to uncover the will, as the searchers do not open the books. Isabel, disgusted with Cousin Henry, refuses his offer to pay her legacy and decides to leave Llanfeare immediately. Mr. Apjohn reads the prior will, explaining that there are no funds to pay Isabel's legacy, and she prepares to depart.
Chapter 9
IX: Alone at Llanfeare
After the reading of the will, Cousin Henry is left alone at Llanfeare, tormented by guilt and indecision over the hidden will. He contemplates revealing it to claim moral victory over Isabel, who scorned him, but also fears the consequences of exposure. He writes to his London employer requesting a six-month leave, unable to leave the house while the will remains hidden. Mrs. Griffith interrupts his solitude, questioning his plans.
Chapter 10
Cousin Henry Dreams a Dream
Cousin Henry, tormented by the hidden will, forces himself to appear in public to dispel suspicion. He travels to Carmarthen to sign a legal document securing £4,000 for Isabel, then writes her a letter offering to let her live at Llanfeare. Later, he falls asleep on the cliffs and dreams of a man swimming who sees him trying to dispose of the book containing the will; he awakens to find young Cantor nearby. He then visits tenant John Griffith, hinting he may not stay at Llanfeare.
Chapter 11
Isabel at Hereford
Isabel returns to her father's home in Hereford, where she is received coldly by her stepmother and siblings. She refuses to accept any money from Cousin Henry, despite her father's insistence that the £4,000 legacy is rightfully hers. Isabel is determined to live in poverty rather than take a shilling from him, believing he is guilty of some wicked deed regarding the will. Her stepmother views her refusal as insanity, and the household is tense. Isabel also resolves not to marry Mr. Owen, though he is expected to propose upon his return from the Continent.
Chapter 12
Mr. Owen
Isabel Brodrick endures four uncomfortable weeks at home before Mr. Owen's return. She resolves to refuse both her cousin's money and Mr. Owen's renewed offer, believing it would be base to marry him now that she is a pauper. Her stepmother pressures her to accept the inheritance and marry, but Isabel remains firm. When Mr. Owen arrives, he attempts to embrace her, but she stops him, confessing her love while insisting the marriage cannot happen.
Chapter 13
The Carmarthen Herald
The Carmarthen Herald publishes accusations against Cousin Henry, insinuating that he has hidden or destroyed the Squire's later will. The newspaper articles, along with letters from young Joseph Cantor, create a public scandal, and many believe Henry should sue for libel to clear his name. John Griffith of Coed visits Cousin Henry, urging him to reveal any secret or to defend himself in court. Henry, paralyzed by fear and guilt, cannot confess or act, deepening suspicions.
Chapter 14
An Action for Libel
Cousin Henry is tormented by the public accusations in the Carmarthen Herald and the pressure from Mr. Apjohn to sue for libel, which would force him to testify and risk exposing his guilty knowledge of the hidden will.
Chapter 15
Cousin Henry Makes Another Attempt
Cousin Henry, tormented by guilt and fear, resolves to reveal the hidden will to Farmer Griffith after being insulted by young Cantor. He visits Griffith at Coed but fails to confess directly, instead arranging a meeting for the next day. Later, he retrieves the will from the book and reads it, preparing to surrender it.
Chapter 16
Again at Hereford
Isabel Brodrick is back at her father's house in Hereford, caught between her stepmother's resentment over her presence and financial burden, her father's wish for her to accept a smaller legacy and marry Mr. Owen, and her own conviction that Cousin Henry has wrongfully inherited Llanfeare. She longs to prove the inheritance is rightfully hers so she can marry Mr. Owen without being a burden, while Mr. Owen doubts the newspaper's campaign against Cousin Henry and Isabel clings to her uncle's dying words and her instinct about Cousin Henry's guilt.
Chapter 17
Mr. Cheekey
Cousin Henry is given a month to decide whether to face a criminal prosecution for libel against Mr. Evans, but he is paralyzed by fear and indecision. Mr. Apjohn and the townspeople of Carmarthen hope that the trial will force the truth about the hidden will out of him. The formidable barrister Mr. Cheekey is brought in to cross-examine Cousin Henry, and the chapter explores the legal maneuvering and public anticipation surrounding the case.
Chapter 18
Cousin Henry Goes to Carmarthen
Cousin Henry receives a letter from Mr. Apjohn summoning him to Carmarthen to prepare instructions for counsel in the libel case. A clerk delivers the letter and pressures Henry to comply, vividly describing the terrifying barrister Mr. Cheekey who will cross-examine him. Henry vacillates between revealing the hidden will and clinging to the estate, ultimately agreeing to go but opting for a fly instead of his own carriage to avoid public scrutiny. In Mr. Apjohn's office, he gives evasive instructions, claiming he only suspected a later will but never saw it.
Chapter 19
Mr. Apjohn Sends for Assistance
Mr. Apjohn, convinced that the missing will is hidden in the book-room at Llanfeare, debates with his clerk Ricketts whether to take further action. He fears Cousin Henry may destroy the will but hesitates due to lack of evidence. He writes to Mr. Brodrick, Isabel's father, asking him to come before the trial. Later, Mr. Brodrick arrives and Mr. Apjohn explains his reasoning, proposing they go together to Llanfeare to request a new search. They plan to search the books, especially volumes of sermons, and if refused, to seek a warrant.
Chapter 20
Doubts
Cousin Henry, after being questioned by Mr. Apjohn about the hidden will, is consumed by paranoia and dread. He contemplates destroying the will to secure his inheritance and avoid facing Mr. Cheekey's interrogation, but hesitates due to fear of committing felony. He returns home, resolves to destroy the will, but postpones the act, feeling a temporary lift in spirit.
Chapter 21
Mr. Apjohn's Success
Mr. Apjohn and Mr. Brodrick arrive at Llanfeare to search for the missing will. After a tense confrontation with Cousin Henry, Mr. Apjohn discovers the will hidden in a volume of Jeremy Taylor's sermons. Cousin Henry attempts to resist but is physically restrained, and the will is recovered, confirming Isabel as the true heiress.
Chapter 22
How Cousin Henry Was Let Off Easily
Mr. Apjohn and Mr. Brodrick confront Cousin Henry after discovering the hidden will. Through intense questioning, Mr. Apjohn forces Cousin Henry to admit he knew the will was in the book of sermons. Cousin Henry signs a letter authorizing the withdrawal of the libel indictment, and the lawyers leave him alone to contemplate his future as a London clerk, relieved to escape prosecution.
Chapter 23
XXIII: Isabel's Petition
The news of the discovered will spreads through Carmarthen, clearing Isabel Brodrick as the true heiress of Llanfeare and ending the trial. Mr. Apjohn is celebrated for finding the will, while Cousin Henry is vilified. Mr. Brodrick discusses costs with Mr. Apjohn, who brushes off concerns. Isabel, now triumphant, resolves to overcome Mr. Owen's pride and visits him alone, boldly asking him to embrace her and declaring her love, leading to their reconciliation and engagement.
Chapter 24
Conclusion
Isabel returns to Llanfeare as the rightful heiress, welcomed by tenants and servants. Mr. Apjohn advises her on property management and the importance of entail. She prepares for her marriage to Mr. Owen, and the estate is secured for future generations.
