# XXII: A Ladder Out of Place explained — The Circular Staircase

> Chapter companion for The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart.

## What happens

Mr. Jamieson returns to town, leaving Halsey and Alex to guard Sunnyside. Rachel observes Gertrude's secretive movements and discovers Alex waiting on a bridge instead of Jack Bailey. The household maintains vigilance against intruders. On Thursday, the laundress Mary Anne reports finding a ladder propped up inside the clothes chute, indicating another attempted break-in. Halsey and Alex remove the ladder and reinforce the chute door. Rachel grows increasingly nervous as the mystery deepens.

## Themes in this chapter

### Secrecy and Deception

Rachel secretly follows Gertrude to confirm her meeting with Jack Bailey, and the household keeps its security arrangements hidden from the servants.

### Isolation and Vulnerability

The repeated invasions and the discovery of the ladder in the chute heighten the sense of vulnerability and nervousness among the household.

## Character check-ins

### Rachel Innes

Narrates the chapter, observes Gertrude's movements, interrogates Mary Anne about the ladder, and grows increasingly nervous.

### Mr. Jamieson

Suggests sending a man out in his place, then returns to town early in the evening.

### Halsey Innes

Plays golf, sleeps on the davenport, and later guards the house with Alex; helps remove the ladder from the chute.

### Gertrude Innes

Wanders out into the starlight, presumably to meet Jack Bailey, but returns quickly.

### Alexander Graham

Alex the gardener is seen on the bridge smoking a pipe; he helps guard the house and removes the ladder from the chute.

### Mary Anne

The laundress reports finding a ladder in the clothes chute; she is nervous and admits to leaving a window open.

## Key lines

> I had no intention of eavesdropping, but I wanted to be certain that it was Jack Bailey she was meeting.

Rachel followed Gertrude not to spy, but to confirm she was meeting Jack Bailey.

_Rachel's protective concern over Gertrude's involvement._

> There’s a ladder up the clothes chute, Miss Innes. It’s up that tight I can’t move it, and I didn’t like to ask for help until I spoke to you.

Mary Anne discovered a ladder wedged in the clothes chute and reported it to Rachel.

_Evidence of an attempted break-in via the chute._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_circular_staircase_se/chapters/xxii-a-ladder-out-of-place
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_circular_staircase_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_circular_staircase_se/chapters