Miss Maitland, Private Secretary — Reading Companion

A Secretary's Testimony

Esther Maitland's role as a private secretary places her in a position of professional discretion, yet the kidnapping forces her into the spotlight. In the excerpt, she recounts her movements with a clarity that suggests she has rehearsed the story: she took Bébita to a dressmaker and an oculist, then to Justin's store, where she left the child in the taxi. Her description of the driver is vague—"I have a sort of vague memory of his face"—and she admits she did not note the taxi number. This gap in observation becomes a crucial plot point.

Bonner emphasizes Esther's composure under pressure. When Mr. Janney questions why she wasted time searching for the taxi, she responds with "patience for his afflicted state," explaining her assumption that the taxi had moved to a side street. Her testimony is contrasted with Mrs. Janney's brusque dismissal of Suzanne's bitterness: "Oh, that's exactly like Suzanne. She has no balance at all." The scene establishes Esther as a calm, credible witness in a household of heightened emotions.

The Weight of Gossip and Family Tensions

The opening chapter introduces the Prices' marital troubles through the lens of public opinion. Friends and society papers offer conflicting narratives: some blame Suzanne as "selfish, exacting, bad tempered," while others paint Chapman Price as "an idler and a spendthrift." This dual perspective sets up a mystery not just about the kidnapping but about the characters themselves. The reader is left to weigh the evidence, much like the characters must.

Bonner uses the gossip to create a layered social context. The Janneys, Suzanne's family, have a history of setting Price up in business "over and over," suggesting a pattern of failed support. The lawyer Whitney's comment that "Mrs. Price is very bitter against" Esther hints at further interpersonal conflicts. These details, drawn from the early chapters, suggest that the kidnapping may be entangled with the family's existing fractures.

Structure and Suspense Through Serial Chapters

The table of contents reveals a deliberate narrative structure. Several chapters are titled "Molly's Story," indicating that the narrative shifts to a different character's perspective, likely a servant or another insider. This alternation between Esther's viewpoint and Molly's suggests a multi-voiced approach to unraveling the mystery. Other chapters, like "The Cigar Band" and "Robbery in High Places," hint at physical clues and broader crimes.

The pacing is episodic, with chapters such as "Night on the Cresson Pike" and "The Man in the Boat" suggesting action sequences. The final chapter, "Miss Maitland Explains," implies that Esther will provide a resolution. This structure, evident from the chapter list, invites the reader to piece together clues from different accounts, much like a detective novel. The serialized origins (the copyright note mentions 1918 and 1919 publications in The Curtis Publishing Company) may explain the cliffhanger chapter breaks.

Illustrations as Narrative Hints

The four illustrations by Arthur Ignatius Keller, listed after the table of contents, offer visual cues to key scenes. The first, "Rising into the white wash of moonlight came Suzanne," suggests a dramatic nocturnal appearance. Another, "His face was ludicrous in its enraged enmity," points to a moment of intense conflict. These images, while not reproduced in the text, indicate the novel's reliance on visual storytelling and heightened emotion.

The captions also hint at character dynamics. "Ferguson saw him in silhouette, a large, humped body with bent head" introduces a figure named Ferguson, likely a detective or ally. The phrase "You've done one thing to me that you are going to regret" suggests a confrontation. Readers may use these illustrations as landmarks for key plot turns, though the excerpts do not reveal their context.

Bonner's novel rewards attention to small details—the forgotten taxi number, the gossip that frames character reputations, the recurring "Molly's Story" chapters. As you read, note how Esther's professional demeanor contrasts with the emotional turmoil around her, and consider whether the kidnapping is a symptom of the family's deeper fractures. The chapter titles offer a roadmap; trust them to guide you through the twists.

I’ve shelved Geraldine Bonner’s Miss Maitland for decades, and still recall how her quiet composure amid family chaos felt like holding one’s breath. That same measured patience breathes in The Angel of the Gila: A Tale of Arizona — A Closer Reading, where the desert’s stillness holds its own secret. Two books, different landscapes, same steady hush.