Wyllard's Weird - Vol II, Ch 6 (Struck Down) to the end of Vol II

[Frances, Moderator]

Our plot has taken some very significant turns.

Julian Wyllard has suffered a serious stroke and has been left disabled. Are we meant to believe that stress from the recent death/murder and its subsequent investigation has triggered this?

Hilda and Bothwell's engagement appears to be a settled thing. All seems to be going well, until Lady Valeria's secret is revealed to her husband, who's dies of a broken heart. Could she still ruin Bothwell's life? Will Hilda stand by him?

Heathcote continues to investigate the fate of Marie Prevol and Leonie Lemarque. He has clearly begun to suspect that Julian was Marie's secret lover or husband. Will he be able to make the connection between the two of them, and if so what will or should he do with that knowledge, knowing it would destroy the woman he loves?

This is sensation writing at its finest!

[Rosemarie, Moderator]

That stroke really took me by surprise. I was certain that Julian was planning a new villainy when that happened.

[Robin P, Moderator]

Convenient that Julian's mind and speech are still fine, which isn't usually the case with strokes. It seemed like the doctor gave a diagnosis of something like ALS or MS that would continue to get worse. It would simplify things if Julian, near dying, would confess. Or he will be found out as the villain, conveniently die, and then Heathcote can marry the widow, without a scandalous trial being needed.

[Deborah, Moderator]

I agree - sensationalist writing at its best. I was surprised by julian’s Illness and the Colonel’s death. Very enjoyable plot twists. I’m waiting for the shoe to drop with Valeria. Braddon does seem to be leading us to connect Julian with Marie.

One clue popped out to me surrounding Marie’s trip to England. Not sure I should mention it as I don’t want to ruin the fun for others.

[Rosemarie, Moderator]

I am glad that Heathcote is determined to get the truth, not only to clear Bothwell's name, but also that he really wants to know the murderer of Marie because of her sad fate.

[Deborah, Moderator]

Rosemarie wrote: "I am glad that Heathcote is determined to get the truth, not only to clear Bothwell's name, but also that he really wants to know the murderer of Marie because of her sad fate."

That does make him a hero in the story

[Linda]

I was also surprised of Julian's turn in health. I wasn't sure what ailment he came down with, though. I was thinking along the lines of what Robin speculated, that he has MS or something that only gets worse.

I wasn't quite as surprised by the General's death because I had previously scanned the names of the chapters in the book and a couple of them pointed to leaving a widow behind. In my mind, though, I was speculating that Bothwell and Hilda would get married, then Bothwell would have died somehow, just when he and Hilda had obtained their happiness. It's fun to keep guessing at the various possibilities in this book!

Yes, I'm curious how Valeria is going to complicate things! She is too bold and has shown to go against convention to not be leery of what she may do in the future.

And of course I am rooting for Heathcote. I agree - he is the hero of the story.

[Linda]

Does Julian want Bothwell and Hilda to marry quickly so that Heathcote will return from France and give up his investigation?
I think the mystery is well constructed. We have enough information as we go along to draw some conclusions along with Heathcote, but still new leads or new evidence provide more twists to the truth of the murders. Not at all like some mysteries, including Agatha Christie, where relevant information is kept from the reader so that the the truth could never be totally anticipated.
Similarities between Julian and Valeria? Both motivated by passionate love or jealous ownership? Both selfish, secretive, manipulative. Julian is paying for whatever turns out to be his crimes through his painful, debilitating illness. Will Valeria be similarly rewarded? I agree, she’s not ready to give up on Bothwell yet.

[Rosemarie, Moderator]

Valeria is certainly a schemer. She may not be a murderer, but by betraying a husband who was fond of her, she did something almost as bad. She's bad news!

[Emma]

Linda wrote: Similarities between Julian and Valeria? Both motivated by passionate love or jealous ownership? Both selfish, secretive, manipulative...

Yes, that's very true. They have similar personalities - outwardly attractive, acquisitive, and used to getting their own way. We're also told a little about the background of each which might go some way to explaining their personalities. Valeria had a tyrant father and grew accustomed to duplicity in a household where life was 'a constant strain.' She started gambling in her teens. Even that brief account of her childhood gave me some sympathy for her.

Julian's childhood doesn't sound quite so bad, but was still far from ideal, with a scolding mother and a shabby father in a 'dull old parsonage.' Interesting that the author linked childhood influences with adult tendencies in this way.

[Piyangie]

Colonel's death surely will bring trouble to Bothwell. Lady Valeria seems to me a vindictive woman. It is unlikely that she well let go Bothwell easily. I worry for Bothwell and Hilda. I hope Hilda is strong enough to stand up to whatever obstacle Lady Valeria might throw on their way.

[Piyangie]

I was very much surprised by Julian's fall. Julian went to Paris with some scheme of his own. Of that, I'm pretty sure. Perhaps he might have had some disappointment in that quarter. This segment added more to my conviction that Julian is the criminal, if not of Leonie, then certainly of Marie.

[Frances, Moderator]

I assumed Julian had a stroke due to its sudden onset, but you're right that it often (though not always) affects speech. Strokes can improve in the first few weeks though, which is not what the Dr predicts, although further strokes can lead to worsening. It's hard to think of something else that would be so rapid in onset unless it was some sort of viral infection to the brain like encephalitis. Regardless, I think we are to assume that it was brought on by some sort of severe stress, perhaps worry over the truth finally coming out.

[Frances, Moderator]

Piyangie wrote: "Colonel's death surely will bring trouble to Bothwell. Lady Valeria seems to me a vindictive woman. It is unlikely that she well let go Bothwell easily. I worry for Bothwell and Hilda. I hope Hilda..."

And the General's death is another one brought on by a sudden shock or stress, although contributed to by his getting a chill/damp. I found the passages quite poignant where we learn how the General has been devastated by learning of his wife's love for another, and seeing his friend's similar age wife mourning the loss of her husband and realizing that Valeria will never mourn him in the same way. At the same time, a small part of me wondered what sort of 60+year old man marries a 20-something young woman and thinks she is going love him for ever? Or even that she is marrying him with the passionate love that she might feel for someone closer to her in age?

[Lori, Moderator]

I wonder what Julian was planning to do before his sudden illness. Now he's had to pretend a sudden interest in Bothwell and Hilda's wedding to get Heathcote out of Paris. It's a bit of a relief that Julian can't move freely.

I also had some sympathy for Valeria when we read about her background. Is there anything she can really do to Bothwell now? Can a woman sue a man for breach of promise if she was married when that promise was made? Wouldn't that make it invalid? And Valeria can't really tell Hilda anything she doesn't already know (and if she makes something up, Hilda won't believe her). And Valeria doesn't want to get into the papers. She has the General's money now. Maybe she'll just pay her debts and move on (though she'll probably gamble more heavily now).

And now we have a photo of young Wyllard (if that's his name) that Heathcote can show to Girot if he likes. But I'm also wondering what he will do. He won't want to destroy Dora's life.

Catching up fast because I can't put the book down!

[Rosemarie, Moderator]

Valeria threw the pledge ring at Bothwell when he told her he wanted to move on in a fit of anger. I wonder if she will regret that move?