The Question
Summary
Ralph Tudor’s marble-walled mansion, a cathedral of moneyed hush, echoes with the hollow tap of Grace Hamilton’s satin heels—she glides through its corridors like a porcelain doll who has signed a pact with perpetual adolescence, swearing off stretch-marks and lullabies in favor of champagne cotillions. Into this gilded freezer enters Anna Lee, a wraith of thrift-shop lace and downcast galaxies, hired as secretary yet treated like a smudge on the family crest; her wages siphoned by a paternal extortionist who smells of wet ash and race-track failure. Frank Gray, palette-knifing bohemian, worships Anna with a fervor that splatters vermilion across his canvases, but her pupils reflect only Tudor—patron, savior, walking banknote. When Grace’s deliberate barrenness is exposed—silken negligee peeled back to reveal a diaphragm of defiance—Tudor’s dream of dynasty implodes; he crawls inside a whisky bottle while Grace throws a soirée for Pekingese in pink tutus. The night curdles: Tudor and Anna escape to a moon-drenched seaside hotel where the wallpaper sweats guilt; Gray pursues, heart skittering like a dropped tray of silverware. Exile in Brazil follows—sugar-cane mornings, caipirinha nights—until a telegram arrives: Ryan, loyal clerk, lies hemorrhaging after a collision with Grace’s roadster, a satchel of embezzled cash flung like bait among sharks. Hyatt, the ousted partner, claims the money as corporate marrow. Anna’s father swings a crowbar, stairs swallow a body, sirens wail. From a Rio balcony Tudor reads of Anna’s death, her infant pawned like a forgotten locket; he races homeward to find Grace clutching the squalling proof of his infidelity, her face streaked with penitential tears. In the nursery’s half-light she whispers, “It is our baby,” and the word our lands like a fragile truce between two tombs of pride.
Synopsis
Ralph Tudor, rich, and loving children, marries Grace Hamilton, a spoiled society girl, who determines to avoid maternity, and keep up her social fun. Anna Lee works for Tudor, but is blackmailed by her worthless father. Frank Gray, an artist, is in love with Anna, but she thinks she is in love with Tudor. Tudor's partner. Hyatt, is ousted from the firm because he insulted her. Tudor finds that his wife has been avoiding maternity, and she admits that she does not intend to have any children. Tudor takes to drink and his wife gives a dog party. Alone with Anna, Tudor explains matters, and they go away on an illicit honeymoon. Gray finds them. Anna leaves Tudor and he goes to Brazil. He learns that Anna is in trouble, wires Ryan, his confidential clerk, to take money from the safe and place it to her credit. Ryan is assaulted by Anna's father, and is struck by Grace Tudor's automobile. The cash is found on him. Hyatt claims it was stolen from the firm, and that he has an interest in it. Ryan is taken to a hospital, and Lee, in an attempt to kill Hyatt, is himself killed by a fall down a staircase. In Brazil, Tudor's mail tells him of the Ryan affair, and a latter from Grace which causes him to return at once. Anna dies, and her landlady advertises her child for adoption. Grace gets it and a letter which Anna left, stating that Tudor was the child's father. Tudor comes home, and Grace, a changed and repentant woman, permits Tudor to learn to whom the child belongs. She begs forgiveness, which Tudor grants as she exclaims, "It is our baby."
