Jill, Vol. 2 (of 2)

In Short

Picking up Jill’s adventurous life, this novel follows the resilient protagonist through a series of dramatic misadventures in Corsica and London. Disguised as a lady's maid named Caroline, Jill manages perilous escapes, survives accusations of fraud, works as a dog walker, and lands in a hospital bed following a street accident. Amid these trials, she develops a profound, unspoken devotion to her refined mistress, Kitty, and later finds spiritual guidance from a dedicated hospital sister. Dillwyn’s work endures for its sharp social satire, its unconventional, pragmatic heroine, and its understated exploration of intense female relationships.

The Story

The narrative opens amidst immediate danger in Corsica. Having separated from their traveling party, Jill and her mistress, Kitty, are captured by armed bandits wielding vendetta-knives. Bound, gagged, and marched through the wilderness, they are locked inside a solitary mortuary chapel. Demonstrating her characteristic resourcefulness, Jill drags a heavy bier against the wall to improvise a ramp toward a high window ledge. Though the rotting wood collapses under her weight, the women manage to drop to safety, navigate the night on foot, and make contact with a local diligence heading toward Ajaccio.

Rejoining Kitty’s aunt, Mrs. Rollin, they travel to London. Serving as Kitty’s devoted maid, Jill watches closely as Kitty encounters Captain Norroy. While Kitty harbors deep feelings for him, Jill learns of his engagement to another woman and quietly observes Kitty's composure. Jill battles her own rising affection for Kitty, constantly reminding herself of the strict class barrier dividing a lady from her servant.

Their bond is severed when an acquaintance, Sir Bartholomew, recognizes Jill and exposes her false identity. Forced to leave Kitty's service, Jill navigates the working class of London. She takes a position managing a chaotic household of six spoiled dogs, including a sheep-chasing poodle named Chose and a flower-bed-destroying terrier named Jumbo. However, her past catches up with her again when a bitter servant named Perkins exposes her history of forged references to her employer, driving her back onto the streets.

Disaster strikes when Jill suffers a severe street accident, breaking her leg. She awakens in a public hospital, where she suffers under the petty cruelty of Nurse Mary, a negligent attendant. Her stay is transformed by Sister Helena, a poised and deeply compassionate woman who oversees the nursing staff. Inspired by Helena’s selflessness, Jill undergoes a quiet moral awakening, relinquishing her desire for petty revenge against those who wronged her. Tragically, Nurse Mary’s neglect allows an unstable patient to escape his ward, leading to a fatal attack on Sister Helena with an ice-hammer.

Following her recovery, a dramatic shift in fortune restores Jill to her rightful social position. Years later, she reflects on Kitty’s life from afar. Now an exemplary, aristocratic wife and mother, Kitty appears completely untroubled on the surface, yet wears a hard, impervious emotional armor. Jill is left to ponder whether Kitty ever possessed a true capacity for love, and whether they might have been genuine friends had they met as social equals.

How It Unfolds

The escape from Corsica Held captive in a dark chapel, Jill scrambles up a decaying wooden bier to reach a high window. The structure collapses beneath her, but she and Kitty manage to drop to safety and board a passing night diligence.

Observing the captain While accompanying Kitty to a photographer's studio, Jill observes Kitty's subtle nervousness in the presence of Captain Norroy. Recognizing the captain's indifference, Jill vows to suppress her growing affection for her mistress to avoid heartbreak.

Exposed by Sir Bartholomew Sir Bartholomew recognizes Jill and reveals her true origin to Kitty. Asked directly if the charge of operating under a false name is true, Jill quietly admits her deceit and leaves her position.

Handling the pack Taking a position managing six unruly pets, Jill finds herself dragged down London streets by hunting poodles and digging terriers. Her tenure ends abruptly when an old enemy, Perkins, alerts her employer to her fabricated character references.

Life in the ward After a terrible accident breaks her leg, Jill wakes up in a hospital bed facing intense thirst and neglect from Nurse Mary. She finds solace in the firm, tender care of Sister Helena, who inspires her to embrace forgiveness.

A sudden loss and reflection A catastrophic oversight by Nurse Mary allows an escaped patient to murder Sister Helena. Reclaiming her place in society shortly after, Jill reflects years later on Kitty's cold, guarded life, wondering if true connection was ever possible.

The People

• Jill (Caroline) wants self-reliance, adventure, and emotional connection, though her deceitful methods constantly put her in peril. She navigates society as a lady's maid and dog walker, constantly checking her feelings for her social superiors, until a hospital stay softens her cynicism into moral clarity.
• Kitty wants to maintain her aristocratic poise and social standing while hiding her heartbreak over Captain Norroy. She treats Jill with initial courtesy, but ultimately enforces class boundaries, ending up as a wealthy, revered, but emotionally distant wife and mother.
• Captain Norroy wants a suitable, conventional marriage within high society. Unaware of Kitty's hidden feelings for him, he moves casually through his social obligations, remaining entirely unchanged.
• Nurse Mary wants to shirk her hospital duties and avoid blame. Her spiteful nature and repeated laziness lead directly to tragedy, causing the death of her superior.
• Sister Helena wants to serve the sick with selfless, gentle care. Her calm authority and deep empathy transform Jill's worldview before her life is cut short by a patient.

In Its Own Voice

"The door through which we had entered was the only outlet apparent, and that was, as we knew, fastened on the outside by a great heavy bar, which rendered exit in that way impossible."

Jill describes the grim reality of being trapped in a Corsican mortuary chapel alongside her mistress.

"Had I not resolved before now that I would put a check upon the inclination to be fascinated by her, of which I was conscious?"

Jill reflects on her growing emotional attachment to Kitty while reminding herself of her place as a servant.

"She had handsome features; a high broad forehead; a keen eye that seemed to notice everything within its range; a square chin, and a firm mouth; and no one who saw her could doubt that she possessed both power and intelligence above the average."

Jill details the striking presence of Sister Helena, whose steady guidance alters the course of her character.

What It's Really About

The novel investigates the rigid mechanics of Victorian social class and the emotional isolation it inflicts on women. Jill must adopt false identities and work menial jobs to maintain her independence, highlighting how precarious a woman's standing is when she steps outside traditional family structures. Beneath the adventure lies a quiet study of female intimacy and unexpressed longing. Jill’s intense, suppressed devotion to Kitty demonstrates how class barriers prevent genuine emotional equality. Furthermore, Sister Helena’s influence introduces a conflict between self-preservation and moral duty, arguing that true freedom requires empathy and forgiveness rather than cold, self-protective isolation.

Why Read It Today

This second volume appeals to readers who enjoy dry Victorian wit, unusual female protagonists, and candid examinations of domestic labor. Unlike the idealized heroines of typical nineteenth-century novels, Jill is irreverent, pragmatic, and entirely unconcerned with societal expectations of sweet feminine decorum. Her sharp, humorous observations about stubborn dogs, negligent hospital staff, and fussy employers give the narrative a modern, refreshing tone.

The text presents very few reading hurdles; the prose is clean, fast-paced, and largely free of dense period dialect. While the story touches on the harsh realities of Victorian hospitals and class prejudice, it balances these darker moments with clever escapades. What stays with the reader is Jill's distinctive voice—unsentimental yet deeply observational—and her complex, melancholic reflection on what women must sacrifice to survive in a rigid world.