66 pages • 2 hours read
A Sorceress Comes to Call
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Chapters 19-24Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 19 Summary
While preparing for dinner, Cordelia checks on Alice, who assures her that the “muddle” they’re in will pass. Evangeline and Richard skip dinner—Evangeline stays in her room, and Richard has left for urgent business. Hester quietly informs Cordelia that Richard is meeting with Mr. Parker, as planned, to gather information. Cordelia suggested that he ask about the cabriolet in case Parker doesn’t remember Evangeline.
The Squire startles Cordelia by patting her hand and encouraging her to visit Evangeline, making Cordelia fear that her mother will sense her confessions to Hester. She goes to Evangeline’s room, feeling nostalgic for their old home, where her worries were limited to herself. After dismissing her maid, Evangeline instructs Cordelia to lock the door, a strange experience for her. Evangeline’s demeanor shifts from feeble to sharp, and she becomes annoyed when Cordelia compares her to Falada, disrupting her attempt to look like a “waif.” When Evangeline demands an update, Cordelia explains that the Squire keeps mentioning her.
Evangeline admits that it took “a great deal of work” to make Penelope obedient (169), and Cordelia realizes that her mother is using her as an audience. Initially, Evangeline only intended to scare Penelope away, but the plan failed. As Cordelia imagines killing her mother to protect the others, she knows that she couldn’t go through with it. When the Squire knocks, Cordelia lets him in and leaves. Back in her room, she looks out the window and sees Falada circling the property.
Chapter 20 Summary
The Squire and Evangeline announce their engagement to the group. Imogene breaks the awkward silence, while Hester, in disbelief, wishes that Richard would return. She composes herself and offers congratulations. When Cordelia jumps up in excitement, Hester realizes that Evangeline is forcing her into obedience—“She felt as if she was watching someone mortally wounded bleed out on the floor in front of her, with no idea how to staunch the flow” (175). The couple announces plans for a small, immediate wedding.
Hester mentions the planning ahead and stands to leave, with Imogene and Cordelia following. Cautious of what they say around Cordelia, knowing that Evangeline can hear through her, Hester sends Cordelia to ask her maid for a warm compress. She quietly promises Imogene an explanation later.
Once released from obedience, Cordelia removes her gown and gets into bed, telling herself that there’s still time to stop her mother. As she lies there, a voice in her head tries to get her attention. Frightened, she hides under the covers and thinks, “Go away,” which silences the voice.
Chapter 21 Summary
Hester apologizes to Cordelia for being unable to help her while she was obedient. Richard arrives and confirms that Cordelia was right. He found Parker, but whenever Parker tried to talk about Evangeline, he choked. However, he was able to discuss the cabriolet. Richard also reveals that the two youngest Parker girls survived, including Ellen.
Hester asks Tom to guard the door and explains Evangeline’s sorcery to Richard. She insists that they can’t disrupt the wedding without Evangeline catching on and proposes that Richard pretend to be engaged to Cordelia, knowing that Evangeline’s goal is to find her daughter a wealthy husband.
Richard suggests that Evangeline might kill him to access his money through Cordelia, but Hester counters that his estate is entailed to his heirs, making it futile to kill him before Cordelia has a child. Cordelia is horrified by the notion. Hester reassures her that this isn’t part of the real plan; the fake engagement is only meant to buy time to figure out how to deal with Evangeline. Richard offers his library to research sorcery, and Cordelia leaves the room.
After she’s gone, Richard and Hester discuss the situation further, with Richard mentioning how extreme Parker’s behavior was. He then leaves to prepare himself for a conversation with the Squire.
Chapter 22 Summary
Hester goes to the library in her house to search for information, and she finds two books dealing with sorcery. Although the books are not particularly helpful, Hester does learn that stronger sorcerers work to take out weaker ones and that they are very territorial—“Like panthers, each with their own territories” (195). Briefly, Hester wonders if Cordelia is a sorcerer, but she concludes that, if that were the case, Cordelia wouldn’t let her mother make her obedient.
Tom returns, announcing that the Squire has come to see Hester. The Squire announces that Richard has asked to marry Cordelia, and Hester assures him that she is fine with the arrangement. Hester offers to chaperone Cordelia in town, and the Squire agrees that it is a good plan. She thanks him for coming to her with news of Richard’s intentions, and she silently promises to help the Squire out of his predicament with Evangeline.
The next day, Evangeline comes to the solar to talk to Cordelia about Richard, and the news shocks Imogene. She scolds Cordelia for not telling her about Richard, and Hester interjects that Richard is subtle and likely did not let Cordelia in on his feelings. Evangeline is thrilled at the match.
Chapter 23 Summary
After Hester arranges for a young, local priest to officiate the Squire’s wedding, Evangeline visits her, asking Hester to keep the wedding party as small as possible in an effort to protect Cordelia from gossip. Their conversation turns to Richard and Cordelia’s engagement, and Evangeline appears to relish the idea that other mothers will be jealous that Cordelia caught Richard’s attention.
Evangeline encourages Cordelia to go riding with Richard. Despite Evangeline’s urging that Cordelia ride Falada, Cordelia wants to ride Minnow again. Richard argues that the best horse is the one that the rider prefers. Cordelia is impressed by Richard’s ability to respond to Evangeline, making himself seem agreeable while not giving into Evangeline. As they are riding, they talk about their false engagement, and Cordelia explains that Evangeline is worried that Cordelia will ruin the engagement somehow. Richard suggests that Cordelia will find a true husband someday, but Cordelia thinks the idea of marriage is “absurd.”
Cordelia hears the voice calling out to her again, and she worries that it might be her mother. However, when the voice apologizes, Cordelia realizes that it’s not her mother—it’s Penelope. Cordelia ends her ride with Richard early so that she can talk to Penelope, who is now a ghost. As Penelope talks inside Cordelia’s mind, Cordelia has strong sensory experiences. Penelope had seen blobs of light—they were people, and Cordelia is less blurry than the others. Then, a boy opens the door to the closet where Cordelia is hiding while talking to Penelope. Cordelia apologizes and leaves.
Chapter 24 Summary
Cordelia does not tell Hester about Penelope’s ghost. Imogene confronts Hester about what is going on, and Hester tells Imogene about Evangeline’s sorcery. Imogene thinks that they’re in a dangerous situation, noting that Richard can’t protect them from Evangeline, who is “ruthless” and a sorcerer: “He’s decent and honorable and you’re dealing with a woman with the morals of a rabid fox” (212). Imogene leaves to talk to Richard.
That night, Imogene asks Evangeline about her honeymoon plans. Richard, having talked to Imogene earlier, offers for them all to travel to his estate first; the Squire and Evangeline can leave for their honeymoon from there, and Hester and Cordelia can stay with Richard. Hester and Cordelia both agree to the idea.
Chapters 19-24 Analysis
Chapters 19-24 delve deeper into the theme of Finding Agency in Abusive Situations as Cordelia and Hester continue their struggle against Evangeline’s tight grip. The structural elements of the text, including its narrative perspective and visual text features, play a significant role in reinforcing this theme and shaping the reader’s experience.
The novel’s use of a limited omniscient narrator that shifts between Hester’s and Cordelia’s perspectives emphasizes their shared but distinct struggles under Evangeline’s manipulation. These alternating viewpoints are marked by clear visual breaks in the text, which signal the shift between the deuteragonist and protagonist roles. The transitions provide the reader with intimate insights into each character’s private thoughts and fears. For example, Hester’s perspective reveals her internalized guilt and determination to protect Cordelia, while Cordelia’s viewpoint captures her moments of fear and hope.
This narrative structure enhances the interconnected, yet individual, paths of Hester and Cordelia as they attempt to undermine Evangeline’s control. Additionally, italicized inner thoughts for both Hester and Cordelia offer a glimpse into their internal conflicts and emotional states, further reinforcing their characters’ vulnerability and growing resilience. In contrast, Penelope’s ghostly dialogue is presented in bold italics, distinguishing her voice and indicating her spectral presence in a clear, visual way. This choice creates a stark contrast between the living characters and Penelope.
Despite the growing power imbalance, Cordelia’s confessions to Hester and her alliance with Richard indicate small steps toward asserting her own agency. As Hester and Cordelia acknowledge their shared goal of undermining Evangeline, they begin to assert their own wills against her. Hester’s decision to arrange the honeymoon plans with Richard highlights her subtle resistance to Evangeline’s schemes and her determination to protect Cordelia. Of Richard’s dealing with Evangeline, Kingfisher writes, “His statements were agreeable, correct, and sounded as if they were promising a great deal more than they were” (204). Richard’s ability to appease Evangeline without conceding power shows his growing awareness of the need for careful manipulation to counteract Evangeline’s influence.
The engagement and wedding planning intensify the stakes, marking the next stage in the rising action and underscoring the urgency of the characters’ efforts to disrupt Evangeline’s control. Cordelia’s encounters with Penelope’s ghost offer both warnings and opportunities, hinting at the potential for Cordelia to gain new insights or tools to resist her mother. However, the contrast between Penelope’s spectral guidance and Cordelia’s ongoing fear of her mother emphasizes how tenuous and fragile agency remains in the face of such a powerful adversary.
Hester’s and Imogene’s actions highlight their evolving leadership roles, contributing to the theme of Challenging Traditional Roles and Expectations. Hester, despite her physical limitations, increasingly takes on the mantle of a protector, strategizing to shield Cordelia from Evangeline’s influence. Her willingness to confront danger, despite her physical pain and emotional turmoil, signals a rejection of passive, traditional feminine roles. Hester’s leadership complements Imogene’s critical eye and adaptability, which position her as a strategic ally. When Imogene challenges Hester’s plan and collaborates with Richard to redirect the group to his estate, she demonstrates both her awareness of the situation’s danger and her readiness to intervene for the sake of others.
This active participation challenges traditional roles by presenting Imogene and Hester as figures of decisive action and tactical intelligence, not mere supporters or passive bystanders. Imogene’s recognition of Richard’s limitations in dealing with Evangeline—“He’s decent and honorable and you’re dealing with a woman with the morals of a rabid fox” (212)—highlights her perceptiveness and realism, further establishing her as a significant leader within the narrative. Through these actions, Hester and Imogene defy traditional expectations of passivity or subservience, assuming roles that are assertive, strategic, and ultimately protective of those under their care. Their leadership marks a crucial development in the narrative, as both women attempt to create space for Cordelia to find her own agency within an abusive and oppressive situation.
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By T. Kingfisher
