Welcome, artists, to the second day of our book club readalong for OwlCrate's March book, A Forgery of Roses!
Just a reminder that this will be a SPOILER discussion for Chapters 7-13 of A Forgery of Roses, so make sure you read are finished this section before continuing.
Discussion questions are listed below, and anyone who participates in the comments will be entered to win a free OwlCrate box! Don't forget, you can also post about the readalong on Instagram with the hashtag #OCAForgeryOfRoses for another chance to win!
The story continues...
Chapter 7:
Lucy, in a panic, comes to Myra on the floor. Once Myra tells her she’s alright she reveals Mrs. Harris’ proposition, Lucy tells her she can do it.
Chapter 8:
As Myra waits for the coach to arrive her bag splits open, scattering her underthings everywhere. She scoops them all up back into her bag but to her horror just as the coach pulls up a pair of her knickers gets caught on the door handle. A young man steps out, also observing the knickers, which blow away in the wind. They spend a quiet and embarrassed ride to Rose Manor.
Chapter 9:
Greeted by Mrs. Harris, Myra is taken to her new, very opulent room, and given some more appropriate garments. Mrs. Harris tells her everyone in the house believes she is Maeve, the daughter of the Duke of Avertine, here to study music and she is to attend meals with them daily to keep up the ruse. No one else in the house knows she is aware Wilburt is dead. Mrs. Harris also tells her she is not to go anywhere in the manor save her bedroom, the room where she will be working, and the dining room. Taking Myra down to the room where they are keeping the body, Mrs. Harris leaves her alone before she can ask any more questions.
Chapter 10:
Left with the body Myra decides to just get to it, but when she pulls back the sheet the site of it makes her ill. She flees the room, finding an umbrella stand to be sick in, and to her again horror, is found by the boy who escorted her from her flat to Rose Manor. She insists on disposing of it herself and he leads her through a gate to a stream. He introduces himself as August Harris, Mrs. Harris’ other, more or less unknown, son. He also reveals he knows of her true purpose at the house. Back inside he insists on escorting her back to the cellar, telling Myra it will be easier if she isn’t alone.
Chapter 11:
Back in the cellar August reveals that he and Will were not very close, but it is a huge shock to lose him. He agrees to tell her what he knows about the circumstances surrounding his death. That morning August looked out his window and saw blood, rushing down to the courtyard to find their cook, who had found Will’s body, yelling for help. The cook told him that Will had been sitting on the railing of his balcony when he fell, which is odd considering he was afraid of heights and never so much as set foot on the balcony. Myra thinks she has enough to get to work, and August asks if he can stay to keep her company, although he is clearly uncomfortable around the body.
Myra starts the painting, August sitting near her writing in a notebook. After a while she unbuttons Will’s shirt to see the extent of the injuries, surprised to see what looks like a knife wound in his chest, except there is no blood. A piece of wax with a letter stamped on it falls from his shirt pocket, and Myra pockets it. Hours later she finishes the first portrait, painting Will as he currently looks.
Once finished she needs more information, calling her sister to find out the likely cause of death. Lucy tells her head trauma from Myra’s description, but gives her a list of other possibilities to try. Back with the body, Myra try’s the head trauma route first, but it’s unsuccessful. That’s not what killed Will.
Chapter 13:
Myra joins Mrs. Harris and August for breakfast, a quiet affair where August seems haughty and not like the person she met the night before. Afterwards Myra tries more painting, her magic failing each time. After lunch Myra finally takes a break for a nap and after dinner, a bath.
Back in the cellar once again her magic doesn’t work. Not sure what else to do, she asks August when he rejoins her if there is a recent photo of Will she can look at as maybe she’s getting the details wrong. He tells her Will likely has a collection of recent newspaper articles in his room, and carefully and quietly they go to search together.
Questions:
- Do you think the piece of wax that fell from Will's pocket has any significance?
- Why do you think August seems to be keeping such close tabs on Myra?
- Why do you think August isn't more well known outside of his family?
- Who do you think killed Will, and why do you think they did it?
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