The following version of this story was used to create the guide: Munro, Alice. "The Love of a Good Woman." The Love of a Good Woman. Vintage International, 1999. Pages 3 - 77.

In Alice Munro's third person short story, "The Love of a Good Woman," optometrist D. M. Willens's case sits in a museum in Walley. In 1951, 20 years prior, Mr. Willens's drowned in the Peregrine River. His case was anonymously discovered and donated to the museum as a local artifact.

In Part I, "Jutland," on a spring day in 1951, three young friends, Cece, Jimmy, and Bud ran out of town and down to the Jutland to swim. Whenever the boys visited Jutland they felt uninhibited and free. They liked to play in the water, but they also liked to hunt for curious objects, and make plans about all the adventures they might have. On this particular day, the boys suddenly noticed a strange reflection on the water. Upon further inspection, they realized they were looking at local optometrist, Mr. Willens's sunken car. Inside was his twisted body.

Unnerved and confused, the boys hurried back to town for the midday meal. Their demeanors were no longer jovial, and they spoke nothing of what they had seen. Upon parting, they promised to meet up after dinner so they could visit the police station.

Each of the boy's home lives was distinctly chaotic. None of them wanted to trouble their families, so none of them mentioned Mr. Willens. After eating, the boys reconvened and made their way to the police. They became distracted several times. Once they finally arrived, they bought licorice instead, and sat on a bench in the alley near a sleeping officer. They started telling him their tale, but he was not wearing his hearing aids and did not hear them. At the last moment, they changed their minds and ran away.

Later, Bud told his mother, and she phoned the police. Everyone decided Mr. Willens's death could not have been suicide.

In Part II, "Heart Failure," practical nurse, Enid, was caring for Mrs. Quinn, a woman dying of kidney failure. Though Enid loved her work, and was determined to be and do good for others, she could not stand Mrs. Quinn. The woman was rude and abrasive. Worse, she was cold towards her children, and her husband, Rupert, with whom Enid had had a childhood acquaintance.

Throughout her stay at the Quinns's, Enid struggled to care for Mrs. Quinn in her usual kindly way. Meanwhile, she obsessed over her interactions with Rupert. As a girl, she had been mean to Rupert, and was unsure if he forgave her. She liked spending time with him now.

Then one day, Enid was certain Mrs. Quinn would die, and asked if she wanted to see a priest or her family. Mrs. Quinn said she only wanted to tell Enid her secret.

In Part III, "Mistake," Mrs. Quinn told Enid her story. One day during an eye exam with Mr. Willens, the doctor sexually abused Mrs. Quinn. Rupert, arriving home unexpectedly, saw the man with his wife, jumped on him, and banged his head on the floor until he died. Afterwards, the couple shoved his body back into his car. While Rupert pushed the vehicle into the river, Mrs. Quinn frantically cleaned the house. She was horrified to discover Mr. Willens's optometrist's case, and hid it.

In Part IV, "Lies," Enid could not sleep after hearing Mrs. Quinn's story. She did not know if she could believe it. Throughout the night, she tried working out what she should do. In the morning, she checked Mrs. Quinn's pulse, convinced she would die that day. Instead of comforting her, however, Enid played with her children in the yard until Mrs. Quinn died.

Two days later, Enid returned to the Quinns's, determined to convince Rupert to confess. She did not think he could live with such a secret. At the last moment, however, Enid decided not to reveal to him that she knew about the murder. Instead, she would use the secret, and Mrs. Quinn's death, to her advantage. She could then be with Rupert, care for his children, and have his house as her own.