The Portrait of a Lady

Three days pass. Henrietta Stackpole informs Isabel that Caspar Goodwood is currently in Rome. This brings up a lot of emotions for Isabel, who believes that Goodwood is the only person in the world that she has ever harmed unfairly. She realizes that she never treated Goodwood’s commitment to her with the fairness that he deserved. She is also hesitant to meet with Goodwood because she feels that she needs to sort out her own affairs before they meet.

Henrietta asks Isabel why she doesn’t leave Osmond due to their intensely unhappy marriage. Isabel says that she must live with her foolish decision to marry a cruel man who wanted her money more than her companionship; Henrietta cannot move her friend’s mind on the matter. However, Isabel realizes that the journalist is a true friend who has gone out of her way to check in on her due to genuine concern for Isabel.

After first checking with Isabel, Caspar Goodwood visits the Osmond family home. Isabel hopes that he is long over his passion for her. As per social duty, Isabel introduces Goodwood to Osmond. The two men surprise Isabel by getting on well together. When Osmond learns that the American businessman once eagerly pursued Isabel’s hand in marriage, he is surprised that Isabel did not accept. Goodwood becomes a regular guest at Isabel’s Thursday night parties.

Isabel asks Goodwood to visit Ralph at his hotel. The American businessman obliges her request, finding that Henrietta is also there when he calls on Ralph. She has been visiting Ralph each day and the two have built up a solid, if combative, friendship.

Isabel is pleased and rather proud that Goodwood now also regularly visits Ralph, believing she has been “clever” in making Goodwood an unassuming caretaker for Ralph who can likely accompany her cousin northward when Ralph is ready to travel. One of Isabel’s greatest fears is that Ralph will die in Rome, knowing that he should instead rest easy in the comforts of his beloved Gardencourt. Like Ralph, Isabel has come to realize that Gardencourt is a precious place to her.

During this time of Henrietta and Goodwood visiting Rome, Isabel is frequented by strange nighttime dreams of Osmond and Madame Merle together. She is not sure what her imagination is trying to communicate to her. Osmond and Madame Merle are certainly not physically in one another’s company, for Merle is not currently in Rome.