The Wings of the Dove

Later, Susan and Milly discuss Sir Luke Strett. Susan reassures Milly that he was not “trifling” with Milly. Later, Milly goes to see Sir Luke again. He reassures her that he feels Susan is a wonderful companion for her, and he notes Milly herself looks “remarkably well”—if not “better.” Sir Luke tempers Milly’s possible expectations of what he can do for her, but he reassures her that he will do everything in his power for her. She states that she intends to travel to Venice with Susan, Maud, and Kate, and that she expects Densher, Kate’s adorer, to appear as well. He tells her that, by happy coincidence, he is also planning to visit Venice for three weeks in October with his niece. Milly tells Sir Luke that she hopes he will make an effort to spend time with Densher while he is there. He asks if he can help steer Densher toward Milly and away from Kate, but she replies, “There’s really nothing one can do” (336).

Susan, Milly, Kate, and Maud go to Venice. Milly rents an enormous “palace,” the Palazzo Leporelli, along a canal. Their local fixer, the obsequious Eugenio, has arranged everything for them. The grand apartments are decorated with fine paintings and furniture. They entertain frequently at the palazzo. Kate and Milly continue to be close friends, but they are limited in their intimacy as neither will discuss Milly’s illness.

One afternoon, Milly is at home alone in the palazzo. The others have gone out with Eugenio. Milly is savoring her brief hour of privacy. As she walks into the “great saloon,” she sees Lord Mark waiting to see her. She is surprised, but pleased, to see him. It reminds her of how happy she had been at the garden party in Matcham. She gives him a tour of the house.

As Milly and Lord Mark look out of a window over the canal, Milly wishes she could stay “aloft” indefinitely. She tells Lord Mark she no longer goes out, and he asks after her health. She refuses to answer the question directly, telling him instead that she simply prefers the house. She says she wants to die there. He takes the declaration with good humor. He then insinuates to Milly that that day in Matcham, he intended to propose to her. He then tells her that, in view of her likely terminal illness, he hopes to marry her so she can be “adored” in her final days. She turns down his offer. He gathers that she “want[s] somebody” else. Milly retorts that he would be better off marrying Maud, his “best friend […] in the world” (358). They then discuss Kate and Densher. Lord Mark admits that he would like to marry Kate, but he does not have a chance with her because she is in love with Densher. Milly is shocked at this news, because Maud had told her Kate was not in love with Densher. Lord Mark tells her he heard from Kate herself that she was in love with Densher. Milly says she and Kate are very close friends and that “she left me in no doubt whatever of her being free” (361), although she did not outright state it. Lord Mark insinuates she should not necessarily trust Kate and begins to leave. At that moment, the gondolier, Pasquale, announces that Densher has arrived at the palazzo.

Densher goes to Venice. He rents a room in a shabby boarding house. Since he arrived in Venice two days ago, he has been spending a lot of time at the Palazzo Leporelli. That afternoon, he had been out with Kate, Maud, and Susan until Maud had told Densher to leave their party and return to the palace to spend time with Milly. He finds spending time alone with Milly easy and enjoyable, like “sitting with his sister might have been” (367). Densher is conscious of how he is being manipulated by both Kate and Maud into a relationship with Milly, but he resolves to play the role of the “bon prince” to Milly as well as he can. He even finds himself developing a deeper sympathy for her.

In a rare private moment together while walking around the Piazza (Square) San Marco in Venice, Kate and Densher discuss what Maud gets out of the situation, especially as Maud continues to let Kate and Densher see one another. Kate explains that Maud assumes that Kate is not in love with Densher, and therefore, seeing one another does not threaten Maud’s scheme to marry Kate off to a lord. Kate notes that Densher seems to be enjoying playing his part in courting Milly.

That morning, Milly had declined to join Densher, Kate, Maud, and Susan on their day out in Venice. The group had tacitly decided not to discuss Milly or her absence as a way of avoiding direct talk of the painful subject of Milly’s advancing illness. Susan had taken Maud to see some lace so that Densher and Kate could have some time alone to talk, and Densher is grateful for her understanding of him.

As they walk, Kate encourages Densher to let Maud know how much he cares for Milly. Kate also notes that Lord Mark had come to Venice to propose to Milly, but that Milly had turned him down. Densher is surprised to learn this, and Kate teases Densher that “you are in love with her, you know” (383). Kate tells Densher she herself has not definitively turned down Lord Mark’s offer of marriage. Densher grows a little jealous and asks Kate to make some sort of gesture of her affection toward him. She puts him off and reminds him of how much Milly’s life depends on Densher’s attention. He persists and asks Kate to come see him at his boarding house alone. Kate doesn’t reply.

That evening, Densher returns to the palazzo to find it decked out in candles. Susan is in the salon waiting for the others. She tells him that Milly will join them after dinner. He worries aloud about her health. Susan reassures him that “she’s really better” (389). Susan informs him that Sir Luke will be arriving that evening from London, and Milly has decided to throw a party to welcome him. She anticipates that the scene will be like “a Veronese picture,” a reference to the great 16th-century Italian painter Paolo Veronese. Susan tells Densher that he hopes he will stay on in Venice. Densher lets her know that his finances are feeling the pinch of being away from London, but she encourages him to sacrifice for Milly just as she does. She signals to him that she wants him to make a more direct overture to Milly for Milly’s hand in marriage. He considers it, and she reminds him that such a decision will “pay.” She encourages him to talk it over with Sir Luke.

After dinner, Milly comes downstairs wearing a white dress rather than her usual black and sporting long strands of pearls. She seems particularly lively and vibrant. In a corner of the party, Kate and Densher discuss how beautiful and charming Milly seems that evening. He imagines what Kate would look like in Milly’s pearls. Kate tells Densher that, despite Susan’s reassurances, Milly’s health has worsened. She thinks Milly is “performing” for Sir Luke. Densher tells Kate he doesn’t understand Kate’s plan with regard to Milly. She retorts that if he is having a troubled conscious, he can tell Susan anything, because Susan will not repeat it. Finally, after Densher’s repeated confusion, Kate makes it clear that she intends for Densher to marry Milly so he can inherit Milly’s fortune and therefore have enough to marry Kate after Milly dies. Kate then tells him that she and Maud will be leaving Venice in a couple of days, but that Densher must stay to continue courting Milly. He is troubled by what she is asking him to do, and he again demands a token of her affection to show that she cares about him despite this elaborate scheme. She agrees to go see him at his boarding house before she leaves.