# XXI explained — The Enchanted April

> Chapter companion for The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim.

## What happens

Frederick Arbuthnot arrives at San Salvatore, bewildered to find his wife Rose there and unexpectedly reconciled with her. As they embrace passionately, Frederick forgets about Lady Caroline Dester, whom he had come to see under the alias Arundel. At dinner, the other guests—Mrs. Fisher, Mr. Wilkins, Lotty, and Briggs—greet him warmly, but Frederick is consumed by confusion and the looming confrontation when Lady Caroline appears.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Marriage

Frederick and Rose's passionate reunion contrasts with their earlier estrangement, exploring the renewal of marital love.

### The Contrast Between Appearance and Reality

Frederick's hidden identity as Arundel and his forgotten promise to Lady Caroline create a tension between his public and private selves.

## Character check-ins

### Frederick

Arrives at San Salvatore, reunites with Rose, and is overwhelmed by the situation, forgetting Lady Caroline temporarily.

### Mrs. Arbuthnot

Rose passionately embraces Frederick, showing her restored love and happiness at his arrival.

### Mrs. Fisher

Greets Frederick graciously at dinner, noting the house is now full and making a playful remark about getting their money's worth.

### Mrs. Wilkins

Lotty greets Frederick effusively, calls San Salvatore 'a tub of love,' and sits next to Rose at dinner.

### Mr. Wilkins

Mellersh welcomes Frederick heartily, calling him 'sir' and offering staunch friendship.

### Mr. Briggs

Briggs is uneasy at dinner, fidgeting and staring at the door, anxious about Lady Caroline's absence.

## Key lines

> surprising it was to have a husband when you were a widow before the gong sounded, and Lady Caroline would be there in a minute, and he ceased to be able to think at all, and merely became a thing with its eyes fixed on the door.

Frederick is so overwhelmed by the sudden appearance of Rose and the anticipation of Lady Caroline that he stops thinking and just stares at the door.

_Highlights Frederick's mental paralysis and the dramatic tension of the dinner scene._

> It's a tub of love, said the sandy young woman earnestly; which confused him more than ever.

Lotty describes San Salvatore as a place overflowing with love, adding to Frederick's bewilderment.

_Illustrates the transformative atmosphere of the castle and Lotty's earnestness._

> He had come out to this place to see Lady Caroline, and had told her so. He had even told her in his fatuousness—it was true, but how fatuous—that he hadn't been able to help coming.

Frederick admits to himself that he came to San Salvatore specifically to see Lady Caroline, and foolishly confessed this to her.

_Reveals Frederick's internal conflict and the irony of his situation._

> No need now to be ashamed of his figure, and to make jokes about it so as to forestall other people's and show he didn't mind it; no need now to be ashamed of getting hot going up hills, or to torment himself with pictures of how he probably appeared to beautiful young women—how middle-aged, how absurd in his inability to keep away from them.

With Rose's love, Frederick feels secure and no longer worries about his aging appearance or how he is perceived by attractive women.

_Shows Frederick's relief and the emotional safety he finds in Rose's acceptance._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters/xxi
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_enchanted_april_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_enchanted_april_se/chapters