"Tell me, are you very much in love with him?"

The chapter begins with a car pulling into the driveway while Mrs. de Winter is exploring the morning room. She knows that Beatrice and her husband have arrived; however, she was not prepared mentally or physically to meet them. Thus, she devises a plan of escape. She ends up at a stone tunnel, which leads her to the West Wing of the Mandereley estate. She investigates a room whose furniture is covered in a protective covers, and whose drapes are shut tight. As she pokes around the room, she opens the curtains and realizes that she can hear and see the ocean from her position in the mansion.

This room must be the old bedroom room of Mr. de Winter and Rebecca. It seems as though the the room was covered and sealed shut to preserve what it once was. It seems as though the feelings Maxim had for Rebecca lived in this room, and by bringing the new Mrs. de Winter in, the memories would haunt him. Mrs. Danvers catches Mrs. de Winter in the room and asks her if she would like her to prepare the west wing for her to tour. Mrs. de Winter hesitates to give her a definitive answer and says that she will let her know. Mrs. Danvers informs her that she should go and meet with Beatrice and her husband.

Mrs. de Winter meets three people: Beatrice, Crawley, and Giles. Beatrice and Giles are married; Beatrice is Mr. de Winter's sister who once lived at Manderley. Frank Crawley is Maxim's agent. Beatrice examines Mrs. de Winter and says, "'Quite different from what I had expected. Doesn't fit your description at all' " (94). Mrs. de Winter doesn't catch a break. Every time she turns around, someone is judging or ridiculing her. Beatrice and Maxim don't get along well, to say the least. Beatrice critiques everything she possibly can, including the fitness level of Maxim's dogs. Did the money and power of the Manderely estate affect Beatrice's overall demeanor? Beatrice turns out to be the good guy in the situation. She hated Rebecca and acted like a sister-figure to Mrs. de Winter.

The group decides that they need to go to the kitchen and find lunch. On their walk to the kitchen, Beatrice and Mrs. de Winter talk. Beatrice pops the question, " 'Tell me, are you very much in love with?'" (97). Mrs. de Winter doesn't know how to react, and remains silent. Beatrice quickly realizes that she has made her uncomfortable and tells her not to answer (not that she actually cares!). Lunch goes a lot better than their initial conversation in the morning room. Stories are told, and all is well until Maxim gives Mrs. de Winter a motion to meet him in the hall. As she stands up, she knocks over Gile's glass and creates a mess. Maxim tells Beatrice to take Mrs. de Winter out to the rose garden since, "'she's scarcely seen the place yet'"(99).

Out in the garden, Beatrice explains how Maxim was righting to her all while dating Mrs. de Winter and saying how great she was. Beatrice says that she didn't expect what she saw when she met Mrs. de Winter in the morning, and that she could have been "knocked over by a feather" (100). Then, Beatrice tells Mrs. de Winter that, "'...you ought to do something to your hair.' 'It's so very lanky...' 'Must look awful under a hat'"(101). HOW INSULTING! Poor Mrs. de Winter! After the insulting of her hair, Mrs. de Winter and Beatrice talk about life at Manderley. Beatrice reveals that Mrs. Danvers, "...simply adored Rebecca" (102). She rationalized her ignorance toward Mrs. de Winters in this way.

The men came out to the rose garden, and Mrs. de Winter remained quite. She absorbed her surroundings and wished she could just stay there forever, avoiding interaction with the others. Crawley leaves, and shortly after Beatrice and Giles say that they must go, as well. Mrs. de Winter invites them up to the new east wing to see the reconstruction. Beatrice absorbs everything in the room. She uses her brushes, powders her nose, etc. By the end of the chapter, it seems as though Beatrice likes Mrs. de Winter. She says once more, however, that she is different, "you are so different from Rebecca" (107).

I'm waiting for a description of Rebecca! I want to compare the differences between the descriptions of Rebecca and Mrs. de Winter. It seems as though there was a huge difference between the two, however, as of yet we do not know in what ways they differ; whether it be beauty, intellect, etc.

Vocabulary:

enquiringly (90)- in an inquiring manor

Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization