The Last September

Chapter 2 centers on Francie Montmorency’s thoughts as she settles into Danielstown, the Naylor home. Moira (Lady Naylor) shows Francie up to the room for her and her husband Hugo. She thinks about the long years since they last saw the Naylors, during which time Hugo moved them to Canada and then moved Francie to the south of France for her health.

Francie notices that Moira looks older now, and she thinks about the friendship they developed when Francie and Hugo first married. When Moira leaves her and Francie waits for Hugo, she realizes she is very tired from the trip. Hugo comes up and insists she rest on the bed as he unpacks her things and brushes her hair for her. She asks about Laura, Lois’s mother, with whom Hugo had fancied himself in love for a time. He describes Laura and how she had wanted her mind made up for her, which he could not do. Francie thinks about the last time she saw Laura and how, not long after, she died without warning. Hugo accidentally knocks down the vase of flowers on the dressing table.

Lois goes down for dinner after changing and writing more letters. She finds Laurence and Francie, but Laurence awkwardly leaves the two alone until there are more people present. Francie compliments Lois and notes that she doesn’t look like her mother, Laura. The rest of the family and Hugo join them, and they all go in for dinner. They discuss trivial matters and eventually touch on politics and the current fighting in Ireland. Sir Richard claims that people in England and elsewhere think things are far more dangerous than they really are, and Lady Naylor talks about some Irish people she has met who do not support the fighting, as if they are an example of what most Irish people think. Lois, who has been preoccupied with Hugo, decides he is a “limitation,” especially of Francie. She seems finally to dismiss him. Hugo observes Lois during dinner and believes she might marry early to “make an effect.” Francie stares into one of the portraits, lost to the conversation.

The party bundles up to sit on the porch as evening sets in, at Lois’s request. They talk briefly touch on the rebellion, but Lois’s aunt and uncle turn the conversation back to meaningless topics like their upcoming tennis party. When they go back in, Lois tells them she will walk down the drive a bit, hoping to get away but also hoping they will miss her. She recalls dancing down the lane once with a soldier named Gerald, and she thinks of how she isn’t as lighthearted and carefree as Hugo seems to think. She does like, however, to live up to what others think of her, behaving as if she is having fun even when she isn’t.

She hears someone walking by with a determined step, and remains hidden. She almost calls out to the stranger. She thinks he must walk so determinedly out of feeling for Ireland, and she thinks of how she struggles to feel much for her country. She runs back home to tell the others of her “adventure,” but by the time she arrives, she realizes they likely would not listen to her. She goes upstairs without saying goodnight, and her uncle Richard is forced to wait up until late to lock the doors, believing she has not yet come home.

It is the day of the Naylors’ tennis party. There are more guests than anticipated because Lois has invited so many people. Lady Naylor and the guests wonder where Lois is, and Lady Naylor and Lois’s friend Livvy instruct people about which tennis set they are to join and where to put carpets out for people to sit on the grass.

Lois returns, and two young guests comment obliquely on Gerald’s feelings for her, pointing her out to him. He is unembarrassed at how clear his love for her is. Lady Naylor sends Laurence and Hugo to search for tennis balls in the brush around the court. Hugo is annoyed by Laurence’s willingness to admit to the discomfort and unhappiness of his life. Laurence admits to being in Ireland with his family because he has no money to do anything else. As Hugo passes Lois and Gerald on the way to rejoin the party, Lois tells Gerald, looking down at her tennis racket, that she thinks he has illusions about her and doesn’t truly know her.

Party guests talk of how they aren’t – or shouldn’t be – worried about the rebellion. Gerald and Lois talk about a barracks that recently burned down, and Lois notes that everyone knows why Gerald’s unit didn’t make it there on time to stop the fire, insinuating support for the Irish cause. She notes how her life seems a series of nothings and how she wishes she felt when things like the burning barracks happened. Lois thinks about how she might describe Gerald to her friend Viola from school, who seems to be much better at being a grown-up than Lois. Lois imagines that Viola played at being a girl like Lois feels she plays at being a woman. She knows if she describes Gerald to Viola, Viola will declare Lois in love with him, making Lois more certain of her feelings, which frightens Lois. Lady Naylor calls Lois over to engage with their guests, annoyed that Lois is so distant at a party thrown for her entertainment.

Guests slowly leave Danielstown. After lingering for a time with Laurence, Francie goes inside and starts to chat with Lady Naylor. Francie broaches the subject of how fond Gerald is of Lois, and how everyone talks about them. Lady Naylor insists Francie must have been thinking of another man – an officer rather than a subaltern – and that nothing could happen between Lois and Gerald. Lois can’t help overhearing through thin walls, but as she hears Francie about to describe Lois, she makes a clatter to alert them to her nearness. She can’t bear to hear herself defined.

Sir Richard hears about the rumors of Lois and Gerald, and he and Lady Naylor lecture Lois. They tell her about three young girls who were captured and had their hair cut off in retaliation for them walking out with English soldiers. Lois dismisses their words, saying she would use it as a sign to wear her hair cropped, and she decides that their lectures are enough to make her want to fall in love with a married man. She writes to her friend Viola that she has feelings for Hugo, but she regrets it soon after.

Lois drives Hugo back home from Mount Isabel one day, and they briefly talk of Ireland’s problems. She insists that war is ridiculous, because fighting for peace only causes more fighting. Back at the house, she finds Viola’s response to her letter, and Livvy waits for her. Livvy wonders if something has happened to the soldiers, including Gerald and Mr. Armstrong, since they have not heard from the men. She believes if they are injured, the girls could care for the men and prove their value. In her letter, Viola reminds Lois to remain detached with men. As Lois passes Hugo and Francie’s room, the door slips open, and she sees Hugo brushing his wife’s hair. Francie and Lois meet each other’s eyes in the vanity mirror and smile, but Hugo doesn’t notice.