Mrs. Selfridge's Ordeal

The young mother's voyage from terror of Rowland to loss, grief, and final gratitude.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A Ghost from the Past

A Ghost from the Past The Moment Myra Selfridge sees John Rowland among the sailors and is so shaken that she hurries to the library and tells her husband she has seen Lieutenant Rowland. She is terrified that he may try to steal their baby. Why It Matters Her account reveals the old relationship: Rowland was her rejected admirer, an atheist who once accused her of leading him on. She has feared revenge ever since. This early encounter frames Rowland as a threat in the mother's mind and sets up the false accusation that will later hound him.

The Complaint

The Complaint The Moment Myra and her husband rush to the captain, claiming Rowland was about to drop Myra over the rail. The captain proposes to put Rowland in irons for attempted murder if she will testify against him. Why It Matters The complaint gives Captain Bryce a weapon against Rowland, though he privately doubts the charge. It also keeps Rowland hidden below deck during the day. For Myra, this is the moment when her fear of Rowland becomes an official accusation, one that will follow him across the ocean.

Lifeboat No. 24

Lifeboat No. 24 The Moment As the Titan sinks, Myra Selfridge is pulled into Lifeboat No. 24. She cries and screams for her husband and baby, and a brass-buttoned officer tells her that her child is safe in the care of John Rowland. Why It Matters The officer does not tell her that Rowland is stranded on an iceberg with the child. She must endure weeks of uncertainty, believing her baby may be lost. Her rescue is the beginning of her widowhood and of her long ignorance of Rowland's role as the child's savior.

Widow's Wait in New York

Widow's Wait in New York The Moment In New York, Myra waits for news of her husband and child. Detectives are sent to Gibraltar, where a boat-load of sailors and children has arrived, but the reports say a sailor matching Rowland's description has disappeared with the child. Why It Matters The false report deepens her conviction that Rowland has stolen or harmed Myra. It also explains why she will later reject him at the reunion. Her grief and suspicion are the emotional obstacles that Rowland must overcome when he finally brings the child home.

The Street Arrest

The Street Arrest The Moment On Broadway, Myra Selfridge sees a ragged man carrying a dressed-up child and screams, "Myra! Give me my baby!" She snatches the child, faints, and Rowland is arrested by a policeman. Why It Matters This is the reunion the novel has been building toward, but it is blasted by misunderstanding. Rowland is robbed of his moment of vindication. Yet the child's screams for Rowland plant a seed of doubt. The mother begins to sense that something about the story is wrong.

first day at sea

the morning after the taffrail incident

during the sinking

weeks after the wreck

the day of Rowland's arrival in New York