Psmith

Eve Halliday

Eve and Psmith share a playful, flirtatious dynamic that evolves into mutual romantic interest and partnership.

Freddie Threepwood

Freddie and Psmith are allies and co-conspirators, with Freddie often relying on Psmith's schemes.

Lord Emsworth

Lord Emsworth is charmed by Psmith's wit and often enlists his help, viewing him as a clever ally.

Edward Cootes

Cootes and Psmith are adversaries, with Psmith outwitting Cootes in the theft plot.

Rupert Baxter

Psmith and Baxter are antagonists, with Baxter suspicious of Psmith's motives and schemes.

Ralston McTodd

Psmith impersonates the poet Ralston McTodd, creating a competitive dynamic with the real McTodd.

Freddie Threepwood

Freddie and Psmith are allies and co-conspirators, with Freddie often relying on Psmith's schemes.

Eve Halliday

Eve and Psmith share a playful, flirtatious dynamic that evolves into mutual romantic interest and partnership.

Eve Halliday

Eve and Psmith share a playful, flirtatious dynamic that evolves into mutual romantic interest and partnership.

Rupert Baxter

Psmith and Baxter are antagonists, with Baxter suspicious of Psmith's motives and schemes.

Edward Cootes

Cootes and Psmith are adversaries, with Psmith outwitting Cootes in the theft plot.

Freddie Threepwood

Freddie and Psmith are allies and co-conspirators, with Freddie often relying on Psmith's schemes.

IV

Psmith is introduced through his advertisement in the Morning Globe, offering to handle any job (except fish). Freddie decides to contact him.

Enter Psmith

Calls on Mrs. Jackson but is turned away; meets Mike Jackson on the street and goes for tea.

I

Visits Mike Jackson's home, is turned away, meets Mike on the street, discusses quitting his fish job and his advertisement.

III: Eve Borrows an Umbrella

Observes Eve from the Drones Club, borrows an umbrella from the Honourable Mr. Walderwick, and gallantly offers it to her.

Painful Scene at the Drones Club

Returns to the Drones Club, smooths his hair, retrieves his hat, and calmly explains his borrowing of Walderwick's umbrella. He then visits the International Employment Bureau.

Psmith Applies for Employment

Visits the employment bureau, interacts with Eve and Miss Clarkson, and applies for any job not involving fish.

Lord Emsworth Meets a Poet

Retrieves letters from Box 365, receives a cryptic meeting request, obtains a pink chrysanthemum, and is mistaken for Ralston McTodd by Lord Emsworth, accepting an invitation to Blandings Castle.

I

Protagonist who receives a mysterious letter and goes to the Piccadilly Palace Hotel to meet the writer, wearing a pink chrysanthemum.

II

Arrives at the hotel wearing a pink chrysanthemum, engages in witty banter with Freddie, and agrees to consider the proposal to steal a necklace.

III

Dines at the Senior Conservative Club, reflects on Eve Halliday, and observes Lord Emsworth and his companion.

IV

Enters the smoking-room after lunch, politely inquires about the vacant chair, listens to McTodd's complaints, and then orders coffee while thinking of Eve Halliday.

V

Continues impersonating Ralston McTodd; accepts Lord Emsworth's invitation to Blandings Castle; sees Eve Halliday again and is smitten.

Baxter Suspects

Impersonates Ralston McTodd; travels with Lord Emsworth; agrees to help Freddie with the necklace scheme; writes an autograph for Miss Peavey.

I

Impersonates Ralston McTodd on the train to Blandings; converses with Lord Emsworth about poetry and gardens; later moves compartments and wakes Freddie Threepwood.

II

Impersonating McTodd; agrees to help Freddie steal the necklace for Phyllis and Mike Jackson.

III

Arrives at Blandings Castle posing as Ralston McTodd; signs Miss Peavey's autograph-book with a line of poetry; deflects Baxter's suspicion with charm.

Confidences on the Lake

Rowing with Eve, learns of McTodd's marriage to Cynthia, advises Freddie, and throws a flowerpot to announce Eve to Baxter.

I

Claims Miss Halliday as an old friend, accompanies Lord Emsworth to the garden.

II

Sits on the terrace wall, advises Freddie on dealing with suspicions and love, and leaves to brood.

III

Meets Eve at the station, guides her through the grounds, and displays his characteristic confidence and wit.

IV

Leads Eve away from Freddie, introduces her to Baxter by throwing a flowerpot, and is mistaken for the poet McTodd by Lord Emsworth.

V

Impersonating Ralston McTodd, he invents a story about Cynthia's misconduct to avoid reconciliation and win Eve's sympathy.

VI

Receives Freddie's warning about Baxter's suspicions but resolves to continue the deception.

Psmith Engages a Valet

Relaxes under the cedar, tries to persuade Eve to join him, then confronts and dismisses the impostor Cootes.

I

Lazes under the cedar, attempts to lure Eve from work, naps, and later meets the arriving Ralston McTodd.

II

Psmith, posing as Ralston McTodd, confronts and dismisses the impostor Cootes, then goes to find Eve in the library.

IV

Referred to as the man with an eyeglass who is passing himself off as Ralston McTodd at the castle.

V

Psmith is confronted by Miss Peavey and later by Edward Cootes, whom he introduces as his valet to gain entry to the castle.

VI

Disarms Cootes, reflects on hiding the necklace, and instructs Beach to prod Cootes.

Sensational Occurrence at a Poetry Reading

Proposes to Eve after being confronted about Cynthia; reads poetry at Blandings.

I

Mentioned as the man Cootes forced to get him into the castle; he is to give a poetry reading that evening, which serves as the backdrop for the theft scheme.

IV

Proposes to Eve on the terrace, defends his deception, and later reads poetry before the lights go out.

V

Referenced indirectly via the overturned flowerpot he caused earlier.

Almost Entirely About Flowerpots

Psmith observes Baxter's flowerpot-throwing, converses with Lord Emsworth, and enjoys the summer morning.

I

Referred to as the pseudo-McTodd, he is suspected of being involved in the necklace theft.

IV

Calmly agrees to intervene with Baxter; dresses neatly before going.

V

Observes Baxter's flowerpot-throwing, converses with Lord Emsworth, and deduces the necklace's hiding place.

More on the Flowerpot Theme

Accompanies Eve to his cottage, prattling amiably; unaware of the necklace's significance, he continues his humorous marriage proposal.

Psmith Receives Guests

Reveals his friendship with Phyllis Jackson and his role in the necklace plot; retrieves the necklace from a stuffed bird before being interrupted by Cootes and Peavey.

I

Referred to as the impostor McTodd; Eve believes he intends to keep the diamonds.

II

Discovered by Eve at the end of the chapter, seated on the ruined sofa and toying with an automatic pistol.

III

Remains in the cottage to guard the necklace; explains his friendship with Mike Jackson and his role in the plot.

IV

Maintains calm and uses witty dialogue to stall the criminals; seizes the opportunity when Freddie falls through the ceiling to disarm Cootes and recover the necklace.

V

Humming, buries a dead bat, discusses Miss Peavey's thievery, and accepts Eve's decision to marry.

Psmith Accepts Employment

Confesses to Lord Emsworth that he is not Ralston McTodd, explains his motives, and is hired as the new secretary; reveals his engagement to Eve Halliday.