XVI: Reeves Promises to Do His Best explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Deception and Secrecy

  Miss Rendall-Smith reveals her hidden identity as Mrs. Brotherhood and the secret history of her marriage, blackmail, and the swapped photograph.

• Appearance vs. Reality

  The photograph swap and Miss Rendall-Smith's false identity highlight the gap between what appears to be true and the actual facts.

Characters to notice

• Mordaunt Reeves

  Reeves agrees to help Miss Rendall-Smith, takes notes on her story, and promises to do his best to prove Davenant's innocence.

• Miss Rendall-Smith

  Reveals she is actually Mrs. Brotherhood, the widow of the murdered man. She explains her history with Davenant and her husband, and asks Reeves for help.

• Gordon Davenant

  Arrested for the murder; Miss Rendall-Smith believes he is innocent and explains his past involvement with her and Brotherhood.

• Mr. Brotherood

  The murdered man, referred to as Brotherhood; his private life and business dealings are discussed by his widow.

Key passages

• “I suppose that they can only call me as a witness of how I found the body on Tuesday, and how I took the police to Weighford today. There is no reason why they should expect me to have any theories about who the murderer was. I think it will be all right.”

  Reeves believes he will only be called to testify about discovering the body and guiding the police, not about his theories on the murder.

  Reeves reassures Miss Rendall-Smith about his role as a witness.

• “I somehow feel that he chucked over morals first and religion afterwards, if you know what I mean, not the other way about.”

  Miss Rendall-Smith suggests her husband abandoned moral principles before he abandoned religious beliefs.

  She describes her husband's character and decline.