The Dollhouse

In the present, Rose interviews six of the longtime Barbizon residents. Video producer Jason, who has now been assigned to the story, joins her for a tour of the building. Their dynamic is one of professional respect and personal pique, hinting at a growing attraction. Their tour is interrupted when Rose panics and hides from Griff, who is walking through the lobby with his wife, Connie.

At a coffee shop, Rose and Jason’s professional debate continues. Jason angers Rose by referring to the elderly Barbizon residents mockingly as “cat women” (144). Then, the conversation turns personal. Jason talks about his past as a war correspondent, while Rose alludes to a scandal involving her former boss that caused her to leave network news. 

Following a lead, Rose visits a button shop and meets the owner, who confirms that Darby McLaughlin worked there for decades. He describes her as a wry, private woman who always wore a veil; he also recalls that she had a young teenage friend in the 1950s.

In 1952, at the Flatted Fifth, two men harass Esme. The owner, Mr. Buckley, threatens to fire her for the disruption. Darby volunteers to take over Esme’s duties but is quickly overwhelmed, so Sam steps in to help.