Guy Deverell, v. 2 of 2

In Short

This second volume of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s sensation novel brings a tangled web of past secrets and present rivalries to a tragic climax at Marlowe Manor. As the mysterious French gentleman Monsieur Varbarriere works behind the scenes to unseat the host, Sir Jekyl Marlowe, his orphaned nephew Guy Deverell steps into the family tragedy unaware of his own identity. The narrative weaves together clandestine meetings, hidden passages, and domestic scandal, driving toward a sudden violent reckoning that reshapes the lives of everyone under the manor’s roof. It endures as an atmospheric Victorian mystery steeped in gothic suspense.

The Story

The narrative resumes with Monsieur Varbarriere methodically assembling his long-planned trap against Sir Jekyl Marlowe. Operative from within Marlowe Manor and through legal agents nearby, Varbarriere possesses knowledge of an old crime—the death of the original Guy Deverell—and seeks both civil restitution and criminal retribution. His campaign involves investigating the manor's secret architecture, specifically a hidden entry connected to the infamous "green chamber," and pressing the reluctant housekeeper, Donica Gwynn, into acknowledging past events.

Concurrently, Varbarriere’s young ward, who believes himself to be named Guy Strangways, struggles against the deceptive role he has been forced to play. Rebellious against his uncle's secretive plotting and determined to live honestly, he casts off his alias and openly reclaims his true name, Guy Deverell. His presence at the estate and his burgeoning affection for Sir Jekyl’s daughter, Beatrix, complicate the vengeful machinery Varbarriere has set in motion.

Tensions escalate as additional guests gather, and hidden rivalries explode. General Lennox, returning unexpectedly, discovers the truth regarding his wife Lady Jane's involvement with Sir Jekyl. A frantic midnight confrontation in the green chamber leaves Sir Jekyl mortally wounded, though the injury is initially hushed up by the local physician, Doctor Pratt, under the guise of an acute attack of gout.

As Sir Jekyl’s condition worsens from internal bleeding, the household fractures under the weight of impending scandal. Dives Marlowe, the baronet's clerical brother, arrives to find the estate in disarray. Sir Jekyl, realizing the end is near, attempts a desperate deathbed reconciliation, penning a letter to General Lennox asserting Lady Jane’s innocence and taking full blame for the ruin of his own household. His efforts come too late to halt the momentum of Varbarriere's legal and personal campaign.

Following Sir Jekyl's death, the shadowy schemes resolve into a new reality. The true lineage of young Guy Deverell is fully acknowledged, clearing his path to his rightful inheritance. The ancient animosities dissolve alongside Sir Jekyl's passing, allowing Guy and Beatrix to reconcile the bitter history of their families through marriage. Varbarriere, his thirst for justice satisfied, retires to France to oversee his vast commercial enterprises, leaving the young couple to establish a new legacy at Marlowe.

How It Unfolds

Probing the secrets Varbarriere corners the housekeeper, Donica Gwynn, questioning her sharply about the hidden entry to the green chamber. Though terrified of exposure and reduced to tears, she is assured that her reputation will remain intact once the manor's secrets are dismantled.

Reclaiming a name Disgusted by the lingering deceptions required of him, young Guy confronts his uncle at a local inn. He refuses to go by his assumed name any longer, openly declaring himself as Guy Deverell despite the disruption it causes to Varbarriere's legal timing.

Unmasking an adversary The attorney Mr. Pelter recognizes Varbarriere during an evening stroll through the hall, revealing his true identity as Herbert Strangways to Sir Jekyl Marlowe. The host attempts a cool front, offering cigars while quietly gauging the threat posed by his guest.

Confrontation in the green chamber General Lennox enters the darkened green chamber late at night to find his wife waiting in terror. His cold, altered demeanor reveals that he knows of her betrayal, setting off a swift and violent chain of events within the room.

A guarded diagnosis Doctor Pratt examines a heavily bleeding Sir Jekyl, who fiercely demands that the nature of his wound remain a secret. Under threat of dismissal, the doctor reluctantly pledges his honor to report the injury to others as nothing more than severe gout.

A heavy confession General Lennox seeks out old Lady Alice, breaking down in piteous sobs as he confesses the complete breakdown of his marriage. Lady Alice offers her cold sympathy, realizing the profound disgrace Sir Jekyl has brought upon the family name.

The final tally With Sir Jekyl's death, the legal and personal battles reach their close. Varbarriere and Lady Alice look on approvingly as young Guy Deverell and Beatrix walk together in the manor gardens, united after the storm.

The People

• Monsieur Varbarriere (Herbert Strangways): Driven by a quarter-century of calculated hatred, he seeks to strip Sir Jekyl Marlowe of his estate and reputation to avenge the original Guy Deverell. His relentless planning dominates the household until his legal and personal vengeance reaches its final, somber conclusion.
• Sir Jekyl Marlowe: The charming, reckless master of Marlowe Manor whose past misdeeds catch up with him. He tries to brazen out the legal threats and romantic scandals around him, only to meet a secret, fatal injury that forces a desperate deathbed attempt at restitution.
• Guy Deverell (formerly Guy Strangways): An honorable, sensitive young man kept in the dark about his parentage and his uncle's vengeful plots. He resists living a lie, reclaims his true name, and ultimately inherits his father's standing while winning Beatrix's hand.
• Lady Jane Lennox: The proud, unhappy wife of General Lennox whose secret entanglement with Sir Jekyl leads directly to the tragedy. Her exposure shatters her marriage and leaves her isolated from the estate's society.
• General Lennox: An elderly, devoted soldier whose discovery of his wife's infidelity turns his warmth to despair and quiet fury, prompting the violent night-time clash that seals Sir Jekyl's fate.
• Lady Alice Redcliffe: An austere, sharp-tongued relative who holds tight to family grievances and religious moralizing, serving as an exacting observer of the estate's unraveling.

In Its Own Voice

"I don't know what you're a-driving at," said Mrs. Gwynn, still as white as death, and glancing furiously.

Donica Gwynn attempts to stonewall Varbarriere's relentless questioning regarding the concealed passages of Marlowe Manor.

"I think there is as much hypocrisy and slander in one as the other, and I should have a new way--people living like the Chinese, in boats, and never going on shore."

Lady Jane Lennox delivers a bitter critique of society during a dinner conversation, betraying her inner weariness and desire to escape observation.

"A quarrel, madam, that can never be made up--by ----, never."

General Lennox grimly explains the irreconcilable breach between himself and his wife to Lady Alice after discovering her infidelity.

What It's Really About

The novel investigates the lingering rot of unpunished sin and the destructive nature of obsession. Sir Jekyl Marlowe's past self-indulgence creates a wake of deception that poisons his domestic life, showing how buried secrets inevitably resurface to wreck the innocent alongside the guilty. Opposing him, Varbarriere’s single-minded pursuit of retribution illustrates how revenge transforms the seeker into a cold manipulator, willing to use even his own kin as pawns. Underneath its sensational plot elements—secret doors, hidden wounds, and midnight encounters—the story questions whether justice can ever truly be restored through calculated vengeance, or if peace only arrives when the young choose to break free from the enmities of their elders.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy Victorian sensation fiction, dark domestic drama, and intricate plotting will find much to admire in this final volume. Le Fanu constructs a brooding, highly visual world where quiet conversations in libraries carry as much tension as midnight confrontations in hidden passages. The dialogue is sharp and psychologically observant, particularly in scenes exposing the hypocrisies of polite society and the quiet panic of characters caught in their own deceptions.

The book is not without its period hurdles. The narrative pacing relies heavily on deliberate delays, legal technicalities, and lengthy exchanges between minor characters that slow the main action. Modern readers must also navigate Victorian melodrama and occasional dialect spellings. However, these mannerisms are balanced by Le Fanu's precise prose and moody atmosphere. The satisfaction lies in watching the web of secrets tighten around Marlowe Manor, making it an engaging choice for anyone who appreciates classic gothic suspense.