The Davenports: Chapters 31–47

by Krystal Marquis
This first book of the series introduces the Davenport sisters, Olivia and Helen, their maid Amy-Rose Shepherd, and friend Ruby Tremaine—all of whom are trying to figure out what their futures might be like in 1910 Chicago, after Reconstruction had enabled former slaves and their descendants to rise in status and wealth.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–6, Chapters 7–13, Chapters 14–20, Chapters 21–30, Chapters 31–47
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. proxy
    a person authorized to act for another
    Her presence there as her mother’s proxy or as a close friend of the Tremaine family was not unusual.
  2. shrewd
    marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
    Mrs. Davenport’s eyes were shrewd; she knew something was amiss.
  3. atone
    make amends for
    “You spend a lot of time there. Are you trying to atone for some scandalous transgression?”
  4. solidarity
    a union of interests or purposes among members of a group
    “Remember, this is a peaceful demonstration. We’re here in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the South. The burden and horrors of Jim Crow are not theirs alone. There will be no violence. Our voices”—he held up his sign, I AM A MAN—“are the only sword and shield we need.”
  5. bolster
    support and strengthen
    Her muscles burned from holding her sign, but the solidarity of the people around her bolstered her confidence.
  6. harried
    troubled persistently, especially with petty annoyances
    Their harried breathing became the loudest sound in the night. His warm, rough hand kept her focused on their escape.
  7. quell
    overcome or allay
    Amy-Rose plucked at a loose thread in a dress she held and tried to quell the emotions tumbling through her.
  8. penance
    voluntary self-punishment in order to atone for something
    She’d prepared tonight’s evening down to the minutest detail.
    Penance, she thought, for lusting after her sister’s suitor.
  9. cataract
    disease that involves the clouding of the lens of the eye
    His favorite was the little wooden horse whittled by a freed enslaved person he had known, whose eyes were clouded by cataracts, but whose fingers were agile enough to produce a mini masterpiece.
  10. sham
    something that is a counterfeit; not what it seems to be
    “Then he and Livy shouldn’t get married. It’d be a sham, a loveless future for them both. And then what? We all live miserably ever after? You’ll end up avoiding each other to escape heartache and you’ll lose love and your sister. You will tell her, right?”
  11. influx
    the process of flowing in
    It seemed clear by this excursion they no longer needed the influx of capital from the Davenports’ business to fund the campaign.
  12. paltry
    contemptibly small in amount or size
    They recounted the harsh working conditions of the sweatshops and the paltry pay they received.
  13. precariously
    in a manner affording no ease or reassurance
    His face was turned up toward the setting sun, his hat hanging precariously on his head.
  14. boisterous
    noisy and lacking in restraint or discipline
    They wound around the boisterous kitchen, down a thin hall, and finally up a narrow set of steps.
  15. primer
    an introductory textbook
    He’d read her as easily as she had the primer set out by her first tutors.
  16. insouciance
    a casual or lighthearted feeling of unconcern
    “I’ll have to think about it,” she said with as much insouciance as she could muster.
  17. rabble-rouser
    political leader who seeks support by appealing to passions
    “I never would have guessed you were a secret rabble-rouser romantic.” Helen giggled.
    “We’re activists, Helen.”
  18. imminent
    close in time; about to occur
    I panicked after Mama and Daddy made it sound like our marriage was a done deal. We decided to let them think that a proposal was imminent. I needed more time, and he was nothing but a gentleman.
  19. quip
    witty remark
    This was not at all what she’d pictured, but then Helen remembered the quip Mr. Lawrence had made about the faulty lighting in his room.
  20. semblance
    the outward or apparent appearance or form of something
    Olivia tried to arrange the newspapers back into some semblance of order.
  21. suffragette
    a woman advocate of women's right to vote
    “I can’t wait until we can vote.” Helen moved the piece on the suffragettes to the side. Her hand lingered over the photo of women marching, signs held high.
  22. covet
    wish, long, or crave for
    She was in love, the type of love she dreamed about. Washington DeWight’s face eased into her mind. His easy smile that highlighted his strong jaw, and cheekbones any girl would covet.
  23. veranda
    a porch along the outside of a building
    Helen watched florists and contractors walk in and out of the house from the railing of Freeport’s wide veranda.
  24. tycoon
    a very wealthy or powerful businessperson
    The Lawrence shipping tycoon is my great-uncle. My father abandoned the family business when he was my age and was cut out of my grandfather’s estate.
  25. errant
    moving in an uncontrolled, irregular, or unpredictable way
    The three removed their masks and Ruby saw that her mother’s errant eyebrow had shot up to her hairline.
  26. sequester
    set apart from others
    Oh, it was agony staying sequestered in the kitchen.
  27. chignon
    a roll of hair worn at the nape of the neck
    Their hair she styled simply. A low chignon for Helen and a high French twist for Olivia.
  28. aloof
    distant, cold, or detached in manner
    His cool and aloof demeanor had peeled away.
  29. ottoman
    a low seat or a stool to rest the feet of a seated person
    Olivia circled the ottoman and sat on the suitcase.
  30. stoic
    seeming unaffected by pleasure or pain; impassive
    She had briefly seen Helen, puffy-eyed but stoic. Something had happened, but Helen had refused to discuss it.
  31. countenance
    the appearance conveyed by a person's face
    She watched shock change to determination on her mother’s regal countenance.
  32. balmy
    mild and pleasant
    She felt cold, despite the balmy night air wafting in through the window.
  33. concourse
    a wide hallway in a building where people can walk
    The cavernous expanse of the concourse made her feel small. The people rushing about made her feel invisible.
  34. hone
    refine or make more perfect or effective
    Her etiquette lessons had jumbled her mind! She was sure, in this moment, they had honed all the wrong skills.
  35. milliner
    someone who makes and sells hats
    Next we’ll go to the milliner. I think we need new hats.
  36. trappings
    ornaments; embellishments to or characteristic signs of
    The tables where dinner was served had since been carried away, along with the linens, the centerpieces, and other trappings of the meal.
  37. elude
    escape, either physically or mentally
    Sleep had also eluded Helen, who, still wrapped in a blanket of her own, burrowed beside her. They had stayed up late into the night, talking about everything and nothing—all the things they should have been sharing the past few years.
  38. laden
    filled with a great quantity
    His plate was laden with food, smeared like he was onto his second round.
  39. copious
    large in number or quantity
    The spread in front of them made Olivia’s mouth water. Eggs, bacon, and copious amounts of buttered toast, the Davenport siblings ate in silence.
  40. ruse
    a deceptive maneuver, especially to avoid capture
    “Helen, I’m not going. It’s too late now and it’s not where I should be. There’s plenty of work to do here. I told you there’s no need for a ruse, or some elaborate plan. I choose to stay. You can’t get rid of me that easily.”
Created on Fri Aug 09 12:37:09 EDT 2024 (updated Sat Aug 10 17:38:36 EDT 2024)

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