28 Mar A Tangled Web of Deception in the Kitchen House
Oh what a tangled web we weave
When first we practice to deceive. – Sir Walter Scott (Marmion, 1808)
Let me begin by humbling admitting I have been wrong about one of my favourite quotes–that of the tangled web we spin when we get caught up in our lies–for a long time. I (apparently along with a multitude of others, according to the internet) have credited William Shakespeare with those famous lines, when in fact it was Sir Walter Scott, the prolific Scottish writer of the late 18th and early 19th century, who penned those powerful words.
I apologize and offer up this Wikipedia link to Scott so that other readers may learn more about that wizard of words: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Scott
And who is telling lies–or simply keeping secrets–in the Kitchen House, LOL’s novel of the month? I’m speaking of the dastardly handsome but devilishly driven Marshall. As the book progresses, the son of the Captain is in Williamsburg, attending law school and making frequent visits to Lavinia and his Aunt and Uncle who have taken her in. Marshall is educated, animated, charming, and loves to laugh with Lavinia and her cousin, Meg. The group delight in playing cards and the girls enjoy the Latin lessons Marshall has been invited to give them. Trouble is brewing, however, as Marshall and Lavinia grow to care for one another, but Marshall descends deeper and deeper into alcoholism, driven by an unreconciled despair over the childhood death of his sister and the abuse he suffered at the hands of the despicable tutor, Mr. Waters.
Marshall’s violent nature combined with his racism can lead to no good for Lavinia when she agrees to marry him and return to her beloved home, where she naively presumes she will happily be reunited with the black family she left behind.
Earlier in the book, there is a heart breaking scene in which Will visits Williamsburg to negotiate with Marshall for the promise the Captain made to Will when he took over the plantation until Marshall came of age: Will is to receive his own plot of land and choice of select slaves to take with him. Will wisely chooses Ben and Lucy, along with Belle but Marshall uses this information to deceive Lavinia, leading her to believe that Will wants Belle as “his whore”. Clearly in love with Will, Lavinia is crushed. Of course she presumes that Belle’s fair hair child is Will’s when in fact, the truth will tear her to shreds.
The novel continues to move at such a brisk pace, at times it’s almost frenetic, but, the story is engaging, the writing really good.
See you Friday.
Cheers!
Shannon