That Affair Next Door · Chapter
The Little Pincushion explained
After the coroner's jury returns a verdict of murder by a hand unknown, Amelia Butterworth encounters the Van Burnam sisters, who embrace her effusively.
What happens
After the coroner's jury returns a verdict of murder by a hand unknown, Amelia Butterworth encounters the Van Burnam sisters, who embrace her effusively. Later, they visit her to report that Howard has been arrested. Amelia agrees to help prove his innocence and visits their home to investigate. She discovers a displaced pincushion and a dent in the bed, suggesting someone had been in the room. She also finds a novel with a faint tobacco odor and a clock that has been wound, leading her to set a secret test for the sisters to determine who wound it.
Themes in this chapter
Observation and Deduction
Amelia uses keen observation of the pincushion's displacement and the dent in the bed to deduce that someone had been in the room, demonstrating her detective skills.
Deception and Appearance
The Van Burnam sisters' effusive embraces are initially seen by Amelia as insincere gush, but later they show real feeling; Amelia also sets up a secret test involving the clock to uncover the truth.
Family Duty and Loyalty
The Van Burnam sisters come to Amelia for help after Howard's arrest, showing loyalty to their brother, while their father is prostrated by the disgrace.
Characters to notice
- Amelia Butterworth
Leaves the courtroom gratified by the verdict, later receives the Van Burnam sisters and begins her own investigation into Howard's arrest.
- Isabella Van Burnam
Embraces Amelia at the courthouse and later visits with Caroline to report Howard's arrest; participates in Amelia's investigation at the house.
- Louise Van Burnam
Referred to as Caroline; joins Isabella in visiting Amelia and assists in showing Amelia the rooms and the pincushion.
- Howard Van Burnam
Arrested for his wife's murder; his trunks were found packed, suggesting he was preparing for a journey.
- Franklin Van Burnam
Present when Howard was arrested; mentioned as possibly smoking and reading novels, but not the one found.
- Silas Van Burnam
Prostrated by Howard's arrest and has shut himself in his room.
Key passages
“The verdict rendered by the Coroner's jury showed it to be a more discriminating set of men than I had calculated upon. It was murder inflicted by a hand unknown.”
The coroner's jury surprised Amelia by returning a verdict of murder by an unknown person, which pleased her.
Amelia's satisfaction with the verdict reflects her confidence in her own judgment.
“I looked upon this display of feeling as the mere gush of two overexcited young women, and was therefore somewhat astonished when I was interrupted in my afternoon nap by an announcement that the two Misses Van Burnam awaited me in the parlor.”
Amelia dismissed the sisters' earlier embraces as emotional outbursts, but was surprised when they later visited her at home.
Highlights Amelia's skepticism and the sisters' persistence.
“I could have read them a lecture on the niceties of housekeeping, but I refrained; instead of that I pointed to a little dent in the smooth surface of the bed nearest the door.”
Amelia resisted criticizing their housekeeping and instead showed them a dent in the bed that matched the pincushion.
Demonstrates Amelia's focus on evidence over lecturing.