A magical dinner at Alchemy, one of our favorite restaurants
Mélanie and I just got back from a great week at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. More on that next week when I have a chance to collect my thoughts on the plays. But while we were seeing great theatre, eating great meals, and spending time with wonderful friends, I was mulling a comment Betty made a couple of weeks ago about Raoul. “I know his life would never be completely settled, but I think Laura would understand that. I really see Raoul as an honorable man – his wife made her own choices, so it seems like that relationship is ended in thought anyway. I think he is honorable in his work as well as in his friendships.”
This particularly intrigued me, because I don’t see Raoul sees himself as honorable – I think he thinks many of his past actions are unforgivable. I think Laura sees him as much more honorable than he admits. Malcolm’s feelings about Raoul’s actions are evolving while I think Suzanne thinks the very word “honour” covers a multitude of sins.
I’m curious to hear what other readers think. Do you see Raoul’s actions as honorable? Dishonorable? Differently now than his actions in the past? Why or why not?
Have a great weekend!
Tracy
Tracy Grant - Novelist 
September 7, 2015 at 1:03 am
Honor is really hard to describe, isn’t it? For example though I think it was the right thing to do (in the context of your story)–was it honorable for Raoul to lead Suzanne and Malcolm to marriage
September 7, 2015 at 3:43 am
It’s an intriguing question, Patti. I think Raoul would say that’s one of the most unforgivable things he’s done. And ya et he didn’t precisely lead them to marriage, though he didn’t try to stop it. And there were lots of considerations – tactics in the war, Suzanne and Colin being safe, Malcolm having a wife and child to care for an anchor him to life. I think it’s difficult for even Raoul to say what was foremost in his decision.
September 8, 2015 at 12:06 am
Regarding the marriage, I think Raoul was honorable in being honest with Suzanne that he could not marry her, while at the same time telling her he knew Malcolm and his reputation. I think he was letting her know Malcolm would treat her and the baby well, but he left the decision to her. The only problems I see with that, and there are two : he was still expecting Suzanne to spy for him, which could lead to problems in their marriage; and he was Malcolm’s father, which neither we nor Suzanne knew at the time. In that respect, perhaps he later would think it was unforgiveable, but I still believe he thought Suzanne and Malcolm belonged together. He was looking out for both of his children. Parents will do almost anything for their children.
September 8, 2015 at 2:19 am
I think this is where Raoul’s actions are most problematic, Betty, and I’m not quite sure how I’d categorize them myself. But I think you’re right, he was looking out for both of his children and for Suzanne. In that sense, though he claims to have subjugated personal feelings to the cause, I think personal feelings drive him far more than he’d admit. So far I think Laura sees that about him better than any of the other characters.She gets his vulnerability.
September 8, 2015 at 3:47 am
I think in this case he was being honourable. He knew Malcolm would care for Suzanne and Colin which was something he couldn’t do himself. I also think that when push comes to shove he puts the people he loves before the cause, such as the time he shot the French soldier at Waterloo who was about to kill Malcolm.
September 8, 2015 at 5:39 am
Excellent point, Suzanne! As I said below in response to Lynne, in the case of Malcolm and Suzanne’s marriage, what may have been right for them personally coincided with strategic advantage for his cause, so I think it’s difficult to disentangle the two. But the moment when Raoul kills the chasseur who is about to kill Malcolm and the earlier incident early the morning of the battle where he ignores Malcolm when he glimpses him behind French lines are clear examples of him putting loyalty to those he loves first. For all his talk about being a hard-headed pragmatist, I don’t think there’s a clear example in the series, at least so far, of him putting the cause ahead of loyalty to or the safety of someone he loves. If anyone can think of one chime in. Possibly his leaving Laura at the end of Mayfair would qualify. More on that in response to your comment below.
September 8, 2015 at 4:18 pm
This is why I love Raoul! There are so many facets to him. He lives on the edge of danger and has to juggle ‘the cause’ with his own code of right and wrong as well as with his feelings for those he loves. As a younger man, he could probably make these decisions much easier, but now he must face dilemmas that are not easily resolved. Even so he makes his choices and is willing to live with them. What a fascinating, complex man – and he was created from your mind!
September 8, 2015 at 6:06 pm
What a lovely way of putting it, Betty! I think you’re right, he probably did make decisions more easily as a younger man. At the time time, I think he probably agonized over them more, in the way Malcolm does. He’s learned to push his second thoughts to the back of his mind. But at the same time he’s also seen how choices can ripple through the years and have long term consequences. And he has more people he cares about, while also facing the complexities of the fights he’s engaged in. I love writing about him, and I think his relationship with Laura adds an interesting dimension. Though he has ties to more people than he’d admit, he’s always lived on the surface as a loner. One interesting thing will be how he’ll handle the risk of Laura and Emily being “hostages to fortune” if his enemies learn about his ties to them (or for that matter to Malcolm and Suzanne and their children).
September 8, 2015 at 7:47 pm
I think any danger to one of his loved ones will have Raoul doing whatever is necessary (good or evil) just as he did for Suzanne when she was captured. I think it is part of what makes him such a great character, you never know where he will show up. Very much like the battlefield at Waterloo, as much as accompanying Laura to get her daughter. He supports those he loves, and only admits to himself that he cares for the people in life.
September 8, 2015 at 8:04 pm
I think any danger to one of his loved ones will have Raoul doing whatever is necessary (good or evil) just as he did for Suzanne when she was captured. I think it is part of what makes him such a great character, you never know where he will show up. Very much like the battlefield at Waterloo, as much as accompanying Laura to get her daughter. He supports those he loves, and only admits to himself that he cares for the people in life.
He does have an uncanny ability to show up where he’s needed, doesn’t he, Kim? He does that in both the novella and the novel that follows it. I think he has some of the best entrances of any character in the series. And because he only admits to himself how much he cares, even Malcolm and Suzanne don’t fully see it. I think Laura sees it better than anyone – she has a unique perspective on him.Why do you think he can’t/doesn’t admit he cares?
September 9, 2015 at 12:41 am
If Raoul acknowledged how much he truly cares for his loved ones he would see himself as too vulnerable. I think the same is true for Carfax in many ways in relationship to Malcolm as well as his children. Back to Raoul, for him to put himself in harm’s way over and over again for his cause, he believes he has to distance himself for everyone that matters. I think that is why he left at the end of Mayfair. He knows that Laura see more behind the mask than Malcolm and Suzanne. Laura see more to him because she to has created barriers to protect herself from hurt.
September 9, 2015 at 3:37 am
I think that because of what he does anybody he cares about would be in danger if his enemies knew about it. He therefore tries to keep an emotional distance but because of the sort of person he is that doesn’t always work.
September 9, 2015 at 5:17 am
Great points, Kim and Suzanne! Other characters have said it’s dangerous for spies to have families and I think for Raoul that’s particularly true. As Suzanne says, his enemies would be a danger to anyone he was known to care for. Kim, are you also saying that because he puts himself in danger anyone he cares about risks losing him so it’s better not to have ties? Or that if he cares it makes him emotionally vulnerable? Or both?
It’s a good point that Laura has her own barriers which let her see past Raoul’s. And Raoul is also quite good at seeing past her barriers. I think their scenes in Newgate show how good they are at getting past each other’s facades.
Very interesting comparison to Carfax. I think he also does avoid acknowledging how he cares for his loved ones, often for similar reasons. Do you think he also acts out of personal loyalties more often than he admits?
September 9, 2015 at 1:02 pm
I think both Raoul and Carfax act on of personal loyalty more than either will admit. I also think Raoul is both concerned about the risk his loved one would face from his enemies as well as the emotional toll it would put on him if he did acknowledge exactly how much everyone means to him. Whenever Raoul and Malcolm have conversations about how Raoul was there for speech day and walks in Scotland you can hear how Raoul tries to down play significance. It is his way of being able to “walk” away… As for Carfax, I have no doubt that he loves his family which includes Malcolm which is way if he knows about Suzanne, (which I think he does), he would not hurt Malcolm by exposing her. Just as he doesn’t acknowledge the true nature of Simon and David’s relationship.
September 9, 2015 at 6:34 pm
I love the Carfax/Raoul comparison, Kim. I hadn’t actually compared them much before in my own mind. I think Carfax does act on personal loyalty more often than he admits. I’m not sure he does as often as Raoul. Or perhaps it’s that Carfax is more likely than Raoul to act out of what he wants for people rather than what they want for themselves. I think Carfax is perhaps more sensitive to David’s feelings for Simon than David realizes, but I’m not sure he’ll stand by forever and do nothing without David taking a wife because Carfax thinks it’s important to have an heir for the earldom. What do you think?
I agree Raoul is concerned about the risk to those he loves and perhaps also aware of the emotional toll love can exact. Though I think he feels that emotional toll in any case. I don’t think he would ever “walk away” even emotionally. I also think he’s afraid of making emotional demands (much as Charles is) and not letting people know he cares is a way of not asking for anything back from them. Perhaps,in a way, because he doesn’t feel he deserves it (I think this is particularly true with regards to Charles who he feels he had already put through so much). At the end of Mayfair he admits he feels an obligation to Laura, which is a big step for him, but he’s careful to make it clear he doesn’t expect anything from her.
September 7, 2015 at 4:33 pm
Oh, I agree since the backdrop was war and a baby–It was the choice to make. I think honor is hard to achieve in war.
September 7, 2015 at 5:26 pm
An excellent point, Patti. I think Raoul, Suzanne, Malcolm, and Harry would all agree about that, even as they try to hang on to some sort of personal integrity. I think it’s also hard to achieve in the intelligence game, even outside a war, though I think all of them have a code of sorts.
September 7, 2015 at 5:36 pm
Yes–a code that changes I would guess depending on the side you are on. Yet I think Malcolm agonizes over every choice he made in the war and in his diplomatic decisions.
September 7, 2015 at 5:42 pm
I think all the spies in the series (Raoul, Malcolm, Suzanne, Harry, Manon) recognize that other spies are going to deceive and betray as part of their trade. I think being a spy himself is a large part of what allows Malcolm to understand Suzanne’s betrayal. But I agree that he agonizes over every decision he made in the war, in diplomacy, now in politics. In that sense he’s different from Suzanne and Raoul.Though I think they may agonize more than they admit.
September 8, 2015 at 12:34 am
War and the intelligence game both call the participants to examine their personal integrity. I think Malcolm and Harry value their personal integrity and consider it in their decisions. They definitely have a conscience.
I feel Raoul has developed his own code which has somewhat evolved over time because he has been in this struggle much longer than the others. After Malcolm’s suicide attempt, he would naturally want to see him anchored in some way that would make him think twice about the value of his own life. Also, I believe Raoul truly loved Suzanne, and wanted the best for her, which he couldn’t give – he followed the saying “if you love someone, let them go.” He was unselfish in this respect.
Suzanne seems to have struggled with her own conscience and integrity early on, probably because of what happened to her at such a young age. She was willing to spy and take risks to achieve her own brand of justice. However, I saw a big change in Suzanne once she became more connected to Malcolm and her English friends. Her turning point came when she told Raoul she could no longer spy for him – and Raoul honorably let her go rather than blackmail her for his own ends, like some other characters did. Suzanne’s love for her children also helped her develop a new moral compass.
September 8, 2015 at 2:16 am
Great analysis, Betty! Reading your comments I was thinking that Raoul is not only older and more hardened than Malcolm and Harry, he’s been driven by a cause whereas Harry and Malcolm feel loyalty to Britain but sometimes question what they are fighting for. I think Malcolm, as Patti commented, agonizes over his choices. I think Raoul has learned that you have to make the choices and push the agonizing somewhere deep inside, which doesn’t mean he isn’t still troubled – hence the bad dreams.
It’s an excellent point that Suzanne changed when she married Malcolm and became a mother. I think she’s been influenced by Malcolm’s moral compass, though she still has her own. And I think being a mother definitely changed her. Actually, I think being a father changed Raoul and is still changing him.
September 7, 2015 at 5:12 pm
I think Raoul sees himself as practical.
I don’t honorable or dishonorable factor into his decisions. Looking at all the stories including his relationship with Malcolm mother, I think he weighs the options and chooses what is best for the long game very much like Carfax. I think he felt deeply for Arabella, but they used each other. I have no doubt that he loves Malcolm and Suzanne both very much, but his choices about them being together was based on his strategic purposes. I think his “cause” will always be first which is why he says he has done many unforgivable things as he says that keep him up at night. I think he is worried about how the revelations will effect his and Malcolm’s relationship, but if he had to do it again, I don’t think he would change. I think Malcolm is having a really hard time reconciling is relationship with Raoul from his childhood to the betrayal his feels for Raoul now. Regarding Suzanne and Raoul’s relationship, I think they want to ensure that Malcolm and the children are not hurt by their previous lies nd that means ensuring that both Malcom and Laura know there is only friendship between them now. Lastly, I think he was honest with Laura about not having anything to give her and left the decision to her as to how they will go forward. That was honorable…but he still left her for his cause!
September 7, 2015 at 5:38 pm
I think Raoul very much sees himself a practical, Kim, and that he’d say his practicality has lead him to do things which are unconscionable. But sometimes I think his motives are more complicated than he admits. Malcolm and Suzanne’s marriage was an important strategic advantage in the long game of the war. But it also gave Suzanne somewhere she could be safe with the baby while at the same time continuing her work, which was determined to do. She’d almost been killed by the bandits who kidnapped her and she ran crazy risks, particularly before she had Colin, so I imagine the idea of her being safe held a lot of appeal for him as well. And then there’s Malcolm. Raoul knew from Frances that Malcolm had tried to kill himself and was desperately concerned. Which in some ways makes the betrayal of Malcolm’s marriage to Suzanne worse. But on the other hand, I think Raoul knew that once Malcolm had a wife and a child, he wouldn’t try to escape life by killing himself again, whatever happened. In His Spanish Bride, when Raoul is thinking about Suzanne and Malcolm’s marriage, he thinks it could be the making of Malcolm. I think Raoul sensed, long, long before Suzanne, that it could be a real marriage. And since strategic advantage in the war, protecting Suzanne and the baby, and giving Malcolm someone to love all tied together, I think it’s hard (even for the author) to tease out what was primary. But that makes it fun to discuss!
Oddly, I’m not sure Raoul used Arabella, at least not from everything we know about them so far. I think she did use him to further her fight against the Elsniore League, and since we only know her from other people’s memories, it’s hard to know precisely how she felt about him.
He is honest with Laura and says he can’t ask anything from her. But he tells her he feels an obligation to her, which I think from Raoul is a fairly strong commitment. I’m working on the novella where they meet again a month and a half later, and I know Laura has been replaying their last scene in the Berkeley Square garden and wondering precisely what it meant.
September 8, 2015 at 12:16 am
Again, Raoul is doing the honorable thing with Laura (as with Suzanne) by making it clear that he can’t offer marriage and doesn’t know what he can offer. As far as doing unforgiveable things, Laura understands this because she was forced to do many things that she would consider unforgiveable. In this way they understand each other.
September 8, 2015 at 2:12 am
Thanks for the great comments, Betty! I do think Raoul is honest with both women (except in that Suzanne doesn’t know he’s Malcolm’s father, more on that in reply to your comment above). And as I said above, I think the commitment he does give Laura at the end of Mayfair is from him pretty strong. And it means something, which I guess speaks to his code.
September 8, 2015 at 3:55 am
I was left wondering at the end of Mayfair that if Raoul wasn’t married would he have gone off to Spain? Or is this his way being honourable to Laura, by not tying her to a married man and publically reducing her to the rank of a courtesan before she has the chance to get her life back together again.
September 8, 2015 at 6:02 am
That’s a really interesting question, Suzanne, and it ties into the discussion above about whether Raoul ever actually puts his cause before the people he loves in the series. Is he doing just that in leaving for Spain? Or is he protecting Laura?
As the writer, I had to think this one through. I think he would have gone to Spain even if he wasn’t married. He’s been fighting this fight for 30 years. He may not have any illusions that he can remake the world, as he tells Laura, but he sees a chance to make a difference round the edges, to do something proactive instead of the sort of damage control he’s been doing since Waterloo. But I think he may have left a bit earlier than he needed to, because he felt Laura needed time to get her life together, to bond with Emily and reacquaint herself with her parents and in-laws, to figure out what she wants.
I also think it’s likely that if he wasn’t married, he’d propose to Laura, if not at the end of Mayfair when everything was still so unsettled for her, then in the future. But I don’t think marriage would mean he gave up his cause or his dangerous work. But as I said above, his saying he feels an obligation to her is, from him, a pretty strong commitment.
Raoul’s a political radical, but he’s aware enough of social realities that I don’t think he’d live openly with Laura. He wouldn’t put her through social ruin, and even if she convinced him she didn’t care, he wouldn’t put Emily through it. So any love affair they have is going to have to remain more or less secret (at least secret enough for people in the beau monde to turn a blind eye to it). Which doesn’t mean they can’t have an ongoing relationship and that sort of relationship may suit Laura very well at present. But I think Raoul suspects that when she gets her life back together, she may eventually want a more conventional relationship, and he doesn’t want to get in the way of that.
I haven’t entirely figured out where their relationship is going myself, but it’s going to be have to do with how she feels about being involved in a semi-secret relationship with a man who disappears for long stretches of time running intense risks and how he feels about forming bonds with her and Emily only to be pulled away.
It’s not a huge spoiler to say that he’s back in the novella, which is only about six weeks after Mayfair and then again in the next full novel, which is about six weeks/two months after that.
September 8, 2015 at 3:46 am
Good grief – all this psychoanalysis of the characters is exhausting, girls! But everyone’s comments have made me smile because there’s a kernel of truth in each one. Patti has said that honor is hard to define. And in war one man’s honor may very well be another’s betrayal. Very tough call to make about anyone.
Kim makes a very strong point about Raoul – he is a pragmatist and honor doesn’t always enter into it. Being constantly involved in a war of some sort, he has had to learn to make decisions on the move, so to speak. That means weighing the options of the moment and choosing what is best at that point. Practicality is the operative word. That isn’t to say he doesn’t have feelings but he keeps them on a tight reign.
But Betty has said what I have felt all along – well, at least since I knew that Colin was his child and then found that Malcolm was as well. His heart told him that Malcolm and Suzanne were meant to be together. He may not have foreseen their love for one another right away but he saw something in Suzanne, whom he loved in his own way, and Malcolm, who may be more like him than he will admit, that could be nurtured and grow, in spite of Suzanne still being the spy she was. His intuition kicked in and as a soldier and spy, intuition is what has kept him alive for many years.
Gosh, Tracy – aren’t you glad you asked? 😉
September 8, 2015 at 5:33 am
Thanks for chiming in, Lynne! And I’m really glad I asked :-). I think psychoanalyzing characters is part of the fun of following a series – at least it’s that way for me as a reader and as a writer, I love hearing all the comments and give and take.
I was thinking tonight that all the characters are trying to figure out how to do what’s “right” by their definition or, more often than not, to find the best of bad or questionable choices. Raoul, as you say, has learned to make the decision and not let himself look back.
I was listening to the audio version of His Spanish Bride recently and was struck by his thinking, when Suzanne is about to marry Malcolm, that the marriage could be the making of Malcolm. I think he did have an intuition that it was the right thing for them as people. But since the same action also favored strategic advantage, it’s open to interpretation.
September 8, 2015 at 5:56 am
Yes, it is – but something tells me that, expediency aside, there is a romantic streak in the man. So now you have to deal with that going forward. And of course, he’s getting older and his interest in Laura shows me that he’s mellowing just a little.
September 8, 2015 at 6:13 am
Bingo, Lynne. It’s a bit of theme in the series. Malcolm and Suzanne both deny they are romantics, though both have accused the other of it. Harry would also deny it about himself, but he is possibly the greatest romantic of any of the characters. Raoul would strenuously deny it about himself, but I think he’d be protesting a bit too much. Charles says “Speaking of romantic idealists who can be foolhardy” when Raoul is describing his actions in the United Irish Uprising. Laura makes some similar comments and even Raoul in Mayfair admits to a tendency to tilt at windmills.
I think his interest in Laura does show a shift, or at least a possible shift in him. Except for his disastrous marriage, I think his commitment to her at the end of Mayfair is the strongest he’s made to a woman. I think Laura has a unique ability to get under his skin, but I think it also says something he let his guard down enough to allow her to do so.
September 8, 2015 at 6:15 am
p.s.
It will be interesting to deal with that side of him and his relationship with Laura going forwards. One of the fun things about writing a series is that all the characters have the potential to grow and change. Even the “older” ones like Raoul, who, I realize, it about my age :-).
September 8, 2015 at 4:37 pm
I think idealists are romantics and vice versa. It is really a treat to get inside their minds in this series. Throughout history, idealists/romantics have been willing to put their own lives in danger for a cause – the Irish fight for freedom through the ages is a perfect example. Even the American Revolution has it’s share of idealists – men who were willing to “pledge their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor” for their beliefs. It wasn’t easy to stand against so strong a nation as Great Britain, and many deliberated long and hard over what to do and how to do it. “1776” is a great movie to portray this, and it’s a musical to boot! At that time, the men who made decisions in the local government were men who owned property, thus having a lot to lose. A number of them came from Virginia, so we grow up quoting their speeches and knowing their stories.
But their were also romantics who fought in distant countries, not associated with their own – Byron comes to mind. So romantics are definitely willing to put themselves out there for a cause, and I think Raoul is one.
September 8, 2015 at 6:13 pm
I think that’s so true about idealists and romantics being similar, Betty. And also cynics tend to be disillusioned idealists and romantics (who are often still more idealistic and romantic than they’d admit). Harry Davenport being a prime example. Raoul wouldn’t do what he does, run the risks he runs, if he didn’t care desperately, both for the cause and for the people in his life. What I think he has a hard time doing is letting himself grab any personal happiness, at least not for more than brief intervals. Suzanne was similar but marrying Malcolm on a mission oddly gave her a more sustained view of personal happiness. Do you think Raoul’s relationship with Laura will change him in that regard?
I love “1776”! I saw the movie with my parents when it first came out and have seen it many times since as well as seeing it on stage. Can’t wait to share it with my daughter. It’s a great portrait of both the idealism and the pragmatism and the political maneuvering that were involved in the founding of our country. Not to mention a lovely portrait of an earlier “power couple” :-).
September 8, 2015 at 11:57 pm
Yes, I think Raoul’s relationship with Laura will change him somewhat to allow himself some personal happiness. He has already made it clear to Laura that he doesn’t have much to offer now, but she accepts that. Perhaps one influence will be that Laura already has a child. He was very much a part of her reclaiming Emily. He could see himself as her protector in a world where she hasn’t had one. In Mayfair I could see his interest growing each time he visited her in jail. However, as you mentioned above, if he perceives himself to be a threat to Laura or Emily, that could be a game changer.
September 9, 2015 at 12:20 am
I do think Raoul’s role in reclaiming Emily formed a bond between him and Emily as well as him and Laura. Other than Laura he was the first adult Emily trusted in her new world. I think Raoul is in many ways a natural father, but he’s always felt he wasn’t in a position to be a parent openly to either of the children he fathered. Do you think it will be easier for him to see himself as Emily’s father because she’s already there, and he’s sort of stumbled into protecting her?
I’m really glad to hear you could see his interest in Laura growing through the jail scenes. I wanted it to be there though the scenes aren’t overtly romantic.
September 10, 2015 at 12:37 am
I do think it will be easier for Raoul to see himself as Emily’s father for several reasons. First, he does establish a bond of trust when he accompanies Laura and rescues Emily from such a dreary life. Also, Raoul doesn’t have to take a back seat to another father – he doesn’t have to feel he is treading on dangerous ground and worry about someone else’s feelings. He can be the foremost male figure in Emily’s life if he chooses, and Laura agrees.
September 10, 2015 at 1:37 am
That makes sense, Betty. I think he does bond with her right away at the orphanage. Also, in an odd sense because she isn’t his biological child, he doesn’t have to worry people will think she’s his illegitimate child, which strangely I think makes it easier for him to step into the father role. Or at least could make it easier, and I would guess Laura would support that. I think it would be good for Raoul to be able to be a father more openly.
September 10, 2015 at 2:47 am
While not his biological family, I think Raoul would still have concerns that he would endanger Emily and Laura if he showed too much emotional attachment. The danger doesn’t changes, but I think he should have a little happiness. I think Laura understand his reluctance, but will encourage him to form the bond.
September 10, 2015 at 4:10 am
That’s a good point, Kim. Raoul is going to be wary of the risks to Laura and Emily if he’s known to be close to them (in fact I’ve written scenes in the next book where he thinks about that). He’s also, as I said above, careful of Laura’s reputation, so for both reasons their affair can’t be public. But privately among their friends the bond can be there. Raoul does, as he’s said, know about snatching happiness, and I think he’s going to try to snatch a bit of it.
What do you all think Suzanne and Malcolm will think of all this?
September 10, 2015 at 6:18 pm
I think Malcolm and Suzanne will be happy for Raoul and Laura to find some happiness. Also, the children seem to have gotten along well enough. Emily will fit in with their home until Laura decides where she will live. Making this early bond will keep the family close. After all, when Laura told Raoul, “I’ll look after them for you,” I think she was including the whole family, not just the children.
September 10, 2015 at 6:57 pm
I think “I’ll look after them for you” if anything meant Malcolm and Suzanne more than the children (not that she wouldn’t include the children but that’s more a given).
Interested to hear what others think about how Malcolm and Suzanne will react to the changes in Laura and Raoul’s relationship (assuming they notice, but it’s hard to believe they wouldn’t, and Suzanne was starting to at the end of Mayfair).
September 10, 2015 at 9:52 pm
I think Suzanne will notice first. I think Malcolm will be concerned about Laura and Emily as he is still working out how he feels about Raoul. I think he will also be cautious about the dangers and risk. I think Suzanne will be happy for them especially for Raoul because he has given up so much (Malcolm & Colin and to some extent Arabella). I think Cordelia will notice the change in Laura and Raoul’s relationship as well.
September 11, 2015 at 12:11 am
Good insights, Kim! I think Suzanne is noticing something at the end of Mayfair when Laura and Raoul come back with Emily, so I think she does notice first. I particularly like your thoughts about Cordelia – it’s the kind of thing she would notice!
September 10, 2015 at 11:39 pm
[…] to the copy editor. It seems a good time to post a teaser, especially as it ties into to some of the past week’s discussion as it touches on Laura and Emily. Here’s the opening scene of A Night in Berkeley Square. Does […]