Kidnapped: Chapter 3 Summary & Analysis

David is finally let into the House of Shaws, only to find it as grim and strange inside as it appeared from outside. The kitchen is bare, cold, and nearly empty, with a single bowl of porridge and a small cup of beer on the table. When the man who let him in joins him, David is shocked by the man’s odd appearance and unsettling manner. The stranger eventually introduces himself as Ebenezer Balfour—David’s uncle—and demands the letter David was sent to deliver. David, feeling disappointed, hands it over. His uncle seems suspicious and overly curious about what David knows, particularly about his inheritance.

Though David explains he expects no charity, only to be treated fairly, Ebenezer waffles between flattery and suspicion. For the time being, he insists David sleep in a pitch-dark and cold room with no candle, which is locked from the outside. In the morning, the house is just as dreary in daylight. David can tell that his room was once grand but has since fallen into ruin. Over breakfast, Ebenezer shows signs of obsessive frugality, splitting one beer ration precisely between them.

As they talk, David begins to test Ebenezer’s patience, demanding better treatment and asking questions. When he tells Ebenezer about Jennet Clouston’s curse, the old man flies into a rage. He then tells David that he must go out, but he then stops himself because he does not want to leave David alone in the house. When he suggests locking David out until he returns, David firmly refuses. This starts an argument, and David calls out the strange way he has been treated. Rattled, Ebenezer drops his angry tone and tries to appear friendly again. He insists that he only wants to do right by David and asks him to stay a little longer. David, unsure of Ebenezer’s true intentions, agrees to remain for the time being.