Secrets and Deception

Where it surfaces

• I: The Heir Presumptive

  John Treverton initially suspects Laura of being a 'deep and designing creature,' and the chapter hints at hidden motives and unspoken truths about the past.

• III: A Mysterious Visitor

  Laura Malcolm's secret meeting with a mysterious man in the garden introduces an element of deception and hidden motives, troubling John Treverton.

• La Chicot Has Her Own Way

  Jack Chicot hides his true feelings and plans from his wife, and the anonymous gift of the bracelet introduces deception and hidden motives.

• VII: "A Little While Such Lips as Thine to Kiss"

  Treverton's lingering suspicion about the mysterious door in the orchard hints at hidden aspects of Laura's life, though he rationalizes it away.

• Days That Are Over, Dreams That Are Done

  Jack Chicot conceals his true feelings about his wife's condition, but Gerard sees through his facade.

• IX: “And Art Thou Come! and Art Thou True!”

  John hints at unexplained reasons for his long absence, suggesting hidden circumstances, while Laura suspects he may be insincere about his love.

• X: Engaged

  John hints at a dark page in his past, creating dramatic irony as Laura remains unaware.

• No Trousseau

  John's mysterious conduct and his growing melancholy, along with Edward's doubts about his motives, hint at hidden truths beneath the surface of the impending marriage.

• XII: An Ill-Omened Wedding

  John's letter reveals his past deception; Laura's decision to hide the truth from others by fleeing.

• XIII: The Settlement

  Tom Sampson's pretense of hard work when his sister approaches, and John Treverton's evasive answers about his whereabouts, highlight small domestic deceptions and larger hidden motives.

• XIV: “You Have but to Say the Word”

  Desrolles secretly works for Lemuel while pretending to be a disinterested friend to La Chicot.

• Edward Clare Discovers a Likeness

  Laura's refusal to explain her separation from John Treverton and Edward's covert investigation into Chicot's identity highlight hidden truths.

• XVI: Shall It Be “Yes” or “No”?

  La Chicot's internal conflict involves self-deception about her drinking and her feelings for her husband, while she also contemplates deceiving Jack by leaving him for Lemuel.

• XVII: Murder

  Chicot's disappearance and the unanswered questions about the murder suggest hidden motives and deception.

• What the Diamonds Were Worth

  The mysterious sale of unset diamonds and the hidden dagger suggest concealed truths and deceptive appearances.

• XIX: “To a Deep Lawny Dell They Came”

  John's confession of a past Scotch marriage and the plan for a secret second marriage highlight themes of hidden truths and deception.

• The Church Near Camelot

  Laura and John keep the details of their marriage and John's past hidden from the Hazlehurst community, maintaining an 'iron mask' of secrecy.

• XXI: Halcyon Days

  Laura's secret meetings with a relation and her evasion of John's questions hint at hidden pasts and unresolved mysteries.

• A Village Iago

  Edward Clare's feigned friendship and hidden malice toward John Treverton, along with the discussion of the Chicot murder and its unresolved mystery, highlight themes of deception and hidden truths.

• XXIII: “In the Meanwhile the Skies ’Gan Rumble Sore”

  Edward Clare harbors a deadly secret about John Treverton's past, and hints at deception regarding John's seven unaccounted years.

• The Children's Party

  Laura's anxious reaction to the bell and Edward's realization that the man is connected to Chicot suggest hidden secrets and potential deception surrounding John Treverton's past.

• XXVI: A Disinterested Parent

  Stephen Malcolm's faked death and Laura's secret meetings with him underscore the theme of deception for perceived noble motives.

• XXVII: Desrolles Is Not Communicative

  Desrolles deliberately conceals the truth about John Treverton's identity as Chicot, while Edward Clare presses for the truth. The chapter revolves around the concealment and revelation of a dangerous secret.

• Edward Clare Goes on a Voyage of Discovery

  Edward Clare's quest to uncover John Treverton's hidden past and the alleged bigamy drives the chapter's tension.

• XXX: Thou Art the Man

  John Treverton's hidden identity as Jack Chicot and his marriage to La Chicot are central secrets that threaten his new life.

• XXXI: Why Don’t You Trust Me?

  John's concealment of his identity and past marriage, and the fraudulent nature of his marriage to Laura, are central to the chapter.

• On His Defence

  John Treverton's confession reveals the extent of his deception regarding his identity and marriage, while Edward Clare exposes the fraud.

• At the Morgue

  John Treverton's hidden past with Zaïre Chicot and the mysterious connection between Zaïre and the dead man at the Morgue.

• On a Voyage of Discovery

  Treverton's investigation into his first marriage aims to uncover hidden truths that could alter his legal and moral standing.

• XXXVI: Kergariou's Wife

  John uncovers the hidden marriage of La Chicot to Kergariou, resolving the secret of his own marital validity.

• The Tenant from Beechampton

  Laura is tormented by the secret of John's past and the suspicion of murder that hangs over him. The Vicar and Edward are the only ones who know the truth, and Laura fears its exposure.

• Celia's Lovers

  John's first marriage to Zaïre is revealed as invalid due to her prior marriage, and Edward Clare's hidden enmity is discussed.

• On Suspicion

  Laura learns that her father, known as Desrolles, was in the house at the time of the murder, revealing hidden connections and past deceptions.

• Mr. Leopold Asks Irrelevant Questions

  Treverton's reluctance to speak about Desrolles and the mystery of the diamond necklace suggest hidden truths.

• Mrs. Evitt Makes a Revelation

  Mrs. Evitt's revelation uncovers the hidden truth about Desrolles's guilt, while John Treverton's own secretiveness about the case is hinted at.

• XLII: The Undertaker's Evidence

  Desrolles' false claim about being Laura's father is exposed through investigation.

• An Old Lady's Diary

  Laura seeks to uncover the truth about her father's past and the mysterious Captain Desmond, who may be connected to Desrolles.

• XLIV: Three Witnesses

  The paste necklace and Desrolles's false beard underscore themes of appearance versus reality and deception.

• XLV: The Hunt for Desrolles

  Desrolles' hidden past and his attempts to secure his annuity through deception are central, as he worries about revelations from the Treverton inquiry.