Dorothy Chambers

Margaret's good friend Dorothy comes to visit on the fateful day that the story plays out. The short visit provides Glasgow with the chance for Margaret to share her most important ideals about love: that all people should be with those they love, even if it means giving up a spouse. When Margaret wonders why a woman would want to be with a man who clearly prefers another, Dorothy points out that couples stay together for other reasons, such as comfort and material gain. Dorothy's crucial question—" Would you [give your husband up], if it were George"—makes Margaret decide to give up her life with George so that he can be with Rose.

Dorothy also serves as a bridge between the generations. Unlike Margaret and like Rose, she smokes cigarettes. The knowing manner in which she speaks of a husband's affair implies its commonness...