What Maisie Knew: Chapter 24 Summary & Analysis

Constant rain keeps Maisie and Mrs. Wix in the hotel where, rather than enjoying the salon, Mrs. Wix prefers to stay in their private apartment. Sir Claude suddenly returns with an envelope containing two letters, which he hands to Mrs. Wix and insists she read. Mrs. Wix exclaims that the letters are horrible. Maisie struggles to follow their conversation before Sir Claude explains: Mrs. Beale has forwarded to him a letter she received from Beale, who is at Spa with the Countess, in which he officially deserts her. He tries to hand Maisie the letter before Mrs. Wix stops him. The letter, he continues, frees Mrs. Beale to do as she likes. It would be a legal basis for divorce proceedings, but a divorce is not necessary now that Beale has disappeared.

Mrs. Wix angrily questions Sir Claude’s assertion that he and Mrs. Beale are now free to be with each other. For Mrs. Wix, their mutual sham marriages are still real, and the real relationship between Sir Claude and Mrs. Beale remains immoral. Mrs. Wix goes so far as to slap Sir Claude, but nothing can stop him from going back to London. He must, he explains, behave like a gentleman toward Mrs. Beale. He promises to return within a few days, and to make sure that the hotel provides for them. Mrs. Wix again declares that he is afraid of Mrs. Beale, which he admits, before she begs not to go. Sir Claude is so embarrassed by Mrs. Wix’s display of emotion that he cannot respond to her, and instead he turns to Maisie and tells her to be kind to her governess while he is gone.