# Secrecy and Blackmail in The Borough Treasurer

> Theme guide for The Borough Treasurer by J. S. Fletcher.

The central conflict is driven by the exposure of a long-hidden secret from the protagonists' past, leading to blackmail by Kitely and later by Stoner, highlighting the destructive power of hidden truths.

## Where it surfaces

- [I: Blackmail](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/i-blackmail): Kitely's threat to expose the partners' criminal past unless they pay him an annuity drives the central conflict of the chapter.
- [II: Crime—and Success](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/ii-crime-and-success): Kitely's blackmail threatens to expose the partners' hidden criminal history.
- [III: Murder](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/iii-murder): Cotherstone's fear of Kitely's blackmail and the secret he and Mallalieu share drives the tension leading to the murder.
- [IV: The Pine Wood](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/iv-the-pine-wood): Cotherstone's extreme reaction to the murder and his whispered mention of a clue hint at hidden knowledge and possible blackmail connections.
- [The Cord](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/v-the-cord): Cotherstone's secret relief at Kitely's death and the missing pocketbook suggest hidden dealings and potential blackmail.
- [VIII: Retained for the Defence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/viii-retained-for-the-defence): Harborough's mysterious refusal to reveal his whereabouts, hinting at a secret that could clear him.
- [Antecedents](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/ix-antecedents): Kitely's entire life is shrouded in mystery; Miss Pett admits she never knew his business or past, suggesting hidden secrets that may be key to the murder.
- [X: The Hole in the Thatch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/x-the-hole-in-the-thatch): The hidden banknotes and papers in the thatch suggest secret dealings and potential blackmail.
- [XI: Christopher Pett](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xi-christopher-pett): Kitely's secret past as a detective and the hidden contents of his will underscore themes of concealed information and potential blackmail.
- [XII: Parental Anxiety](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xii-parental-anxiety): Cotherstone and Mallalieu's mutual suspicion and veiled threats reveal a shared secret about Kitely's murder, with each man hinting at the power to expose the other.
- [XIII: The Anonymous Letter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xiii-the-anonymous-letter): Harborough's secret alibi and the anonymous letter's hidden sender underscore the theme of secrecy surrounding the case.
- [XIV: The Sheet of Figures](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xiv-the-sheet-of-figures): Stoner's secret theft of the paper and his suspicion of Cotherstone's hidden connection to Kitely highlight themes of secrecy and potential blackmail.
- [XV: One Thing Leads to Another](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xv-one-thing-leads-to-another): Stoner considers accepting hush money from M. & C. to keep their secret, but Myler advises against it.
- [XVII: The Medical Opinion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xvii-the-medical-opinion): Brereton discovers a cryptic entry in Stoner's pocketbook referencing 'M. & C.' and 'K.', suggesting Stoner was involved in uncovering secrets related to Kitely's murder.
- [The Scrap Book](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xviii-the-scrap-book): The central secret of Mallalieu and Cotherstone's past is uncovered through Kitely's scrap-book, leading to blackmail and murder.
- [XIX: A Tall Man in Grey Clothes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xix-a-tall-man-in-grey-clothes): Brereton shares confidential information with Avice, and Mrs. Hamthwaite's secret observation of Harborough and the tall man reveals hidden knowledge.
- [At Bay](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xx-at-bay): Kitely's attempt to blackmail Cotherstone over the Wilchester affair and the subsequent murders underscore the destructive power of secrets.
- [Comfortable Captivity](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xxiii-comfortable-captivity): Miss Pett's hidden motives and the secret harboring of a fugitive.
- [Mr. Wraythwaite of Wraye](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xxvii-mr-wraythwaite-of-wraye): The secret marriage and hidden identity of Wraythwaite, along with the anonymous money, underscore the theme of secrecy.
- [XXVIII: Pages from the Past](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xxviii-pages-from-the-past): Miss Pett's hidden past and the secret investigations reveal how concealed histories can be used as leverage.
- [XXX: Cotherstone](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/chapters/xxx-cotherstone): Cotherstone's confession reveals that Miss Pett blackmailed him to keep silent about discovering Kitely's body, threatening to expose his and Mallalieu's criminal past.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/themes/secrecy_and_blackmail
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_borough_treasurer_se/themes