Chapter 8 Summary

On Monday morning, Annabel's lawyer, Tom, meets her at the hotel, but he has bad news. Despite his previous denials to the contrary, Billy did retain copies of Frederick's letters. He is threatening to make the letters public if Annabel doesn't pay him an exorbitant amount of money. Tom advises Annabel to pay Billy off in order to save her public image.

At the inquest, Annabel surprises everyone by disclosing the existence of Frederick's suicide letters. In doing so, she effectively destroys her public image and her acting career. She slips into a new life of anonymity and leaves with Carl for Greece.

Chapter 8 Analysis

In this chapter, Annabel's hand is forced by Billy and she must make a crucial decision concerning her public image. Billy's threat of blackmail forces her to evaluate her public image and to decide whether it's worth continuing...