DI Ch 2: The female contingent

[tootsiemuppet]

Desolation Island discussion post for the women: Sophia, Diana and Louisa.

'I wish with all my heart I could make a clear-cut reply; but in all honesty I can give you no more than my impression. I think Mrs Wogan did impose upon her to a large extent; but Mrs Villiers is no fool, and a clandestine correspondence rarely assumes the form of foolscap

Comments

Sophie's insight

[esteven]

That Sophie has much more insight into Stephen's psyche, as far as Diana is concerned, but she also knows her husband better than he knows her.
She loves to have her husband home, but by now she knows he is safer (from himself) on a ship, so she advocates him taking Leopard.

Unfortunately Jack is set against it, but she was well acquainted with her husband's power of going instantly to sleep and of staying asleep whatever the circumstances, and at this point, taking particular care of the carpet, she flung down the candlestick, sconce, and extinguisher.

...and all because she wants to help Stephen, bless her.

Re: Sophie's insight

[ozfille]

I smiled at Sophie's final shameless appeal to Jack's sympathy and love for Stephen -

"Stephen is far too delicate. Once he had seen that you had changed your mind about the ship, he would never mention his own concerns. But if you had heard him speak of wombats - oh just in passing, and not with any sense of ill-usage - it would have brought tears to your eyes. Oh, Jack, he is so very low."

She can certainly persuade Jack to do things when she wants. Shameless woman, wombats indeed! She's lucky Jack didn't tell Stephen of the conversation. He would have been appalled to think his wretched state, all too obvious to Sophie, was used to persuade Jack to proceed on the Leopard.

Re: Sophie's insight

[esteven]

But they would never talk about these things, after Sophie had so cleverly told Jack that Stephen was far too delicate. I applaud her though to know her husband well enough to know that where the usual arguments do not succeed with him, a little emotional blackmail (Stephen!) will succeed.

Re: Sophie's insight

[sidlj]

She knows he will do anything for his their Stephen.

[tootsiemuppet]

Yes. *carves Diana's name in a bullet*

[tootsiemuppet]

She leaves with Johnson and sticks Stephen with the bill. I stand by my bullet carving.