A Cup of Tea Summary

The story begins by noting that Rosemary Fell might be considered attractive if one were to carefully examine her unique kind of beauty, but this is hardly important, as she has an array of other valuable traits to offer society. Incredibly rich and socially established, Rosemary and her husband Philip Fell regularly host extravagant parties and entertain a wide range of intellectuals and artists. All of Rosemary’s requests, no matter how complex or tedious, are promptly satisfied, as even shopkeepers take pleasure in serving her.

One cold and rainy afternoon, while shopping at a favorite antique store, Rosemary is shown a tiny, exquisitely painted enamel box by the shopman, who has saved it for her. Rosemary is instantly charmed by the item, but when the shopman informs her that it costs 28 guineas, she chooses not to purchase it right away. As she leaves the store still pining for the box, a poor young girl approaches her and timidly asks for money to buy a cup of tea. Rosemary is instantly fascinated by the girl’s plight and views the moment as an opportunity for a philanthropic adventure she can later tell her friends about. Rather than giving her money, Rosemary decides to bring the young woman home with her, all the while fantasizing about proving her own benevolence.

At home, the young woman—whose name is Miss Smith—devours the tea and sandwiches provided by Rosemary’s maids. Meanwhile, Rosemary smokes and avoids looking directly at her guest, who, she privately notes, appears to be around her own age. Just as Rosemary is finally about to ask Miss Smith about her background, Philip returns home and asks to speak with his wife alone. He needles Rosemary for bringing this poor stranger into their home and proceeds to point out the young girl’s staggering beauty, which Rosemary had not noticed before. Overcome with jealousy, Rosemary fetches three one-pound notes for Miss Smith and sends her on her way.

Afterward, Rosemary sits on Philip’s lap and asks if he will buy her the enamel box. He agrees, but Rosemary still feels unsettled. So, seeking reassurance, she asks her husband the one question that truly matters to her: “Am I pretty?”