Chains: Chapter 9 Summary & Analysis

Isabel is on the back steps, sharpening dull knives—an extremely boring task. She imagines using a sharp knife to cut right through the ocean so that she and Ruth can walk home on the exposed sand. Ruth is upstairs with Madam; Master Lockton is in his library. Becky is watching General Washington and his soldiers parade down the street. When Becky gets back an hour later, Isabel is still lost in thought—so she doesn’t hear the first time Becky says that Madam wants Isabel in the parlor. Lady Seymour wants to see Isabel. Isabel quickly washes, puts on a clean apron, and follows Becky to the parlor.

Becky waves Isabel inside. Isabel instantly notices Ruth, who looks like “Madam’s pretty pet.” Ruth also looks like she’s been crying, but she stays silent. Isabel curtseys to Madam and to Lady Seymour, and she gives her name when Lady Seymour asks. Madam deems Isabel a “ridiculous” name; Isabel will go by Sal Lockton from now on. Madam says that Isabel must also wear shoes in the house. At this, Ruth steps forward and says Isabel’s name, but Madam roughly reminds Ruth to be quiet. Madam sends Isabel and Becky away, and she instructs that Isabel should serve the men in the library.

In the kitchen, Becky pulls down a big silver tray and loads it with food. She fills a second with wine and goblets. Isabel, though, can’t stop thinking about the tears in Ruth’s eyes. Becky insists that Master Lockton won’t care about Isabel being barefoot as she leads Isabel to the library. Inside, two walls are lined with bookshelves, and there’s a painting of horses jumping over a hedge on the third wall. Lockton is entertaining three men. When Madam calls for Becky from the parlor, Lockton tells Becky to go serve his wife. He asks if Isabel knows where the wine is—and Isabel answers that she does. Everyone stares at her; she spoke out of turn. But Lockton just tells Isabel to keep everyone’s plate full.

Becky leaves, and Isabel fills the men’s goblets. She then stands in the corner while the men return to their conversation. They’re arguing about whether the King’s soldiers are actually going to invade New York, and Isabel listens carefully. As they argue, one man finishes the meat on his plate, holds up his plate, and grunts at Isabel. Isabel reminds herself that the rules are different here as she reloads the man’s plate and returns to her corner. She’s hungry, so to distract herself, she reads book titles. She wants to read, or to tell the men to take her home. But Lockton sends Isabel to fetch more bread and apricot jam.

Isabel listens at the parlor door for a moment and, hearing no mention of Ruth, moves on to the kitchen. It takes her too long to slice bread and locate a crock of jam. But just as she returns to the library, she hears Lockton say that “There’s enough money here to bribe half of the rebel army.” Through a crack in the door, Isabel can see Madam’s linen chest open inside—and in it is money. The men are talking about bribing rebels with money and land. Isabel enters, sets the tray down, and goes back to her corner. The men continue to talk; Isabel feels invisible. She knows what she has to do.