The Davenports: Chapters 21–30

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
40 words 2 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. tedious
    so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
    The mechanics rarely placed things where they belonged, and the task, though tedious, didn’t require much thought or effort on her part.
  2. squelch
    make a sucking sound
    She sighed and thought back to the way Amy-Rose had looked at her as she climbed the stairs, her shoes squelching with each step.
  3. leeway
    a permissible difference
    “Apply some of that ingenuity to the stuff Mama cares about, and maybe she’ll give you a little more leeway—you can use it to go through these with me,” he said, fanning the stack of papers before locking them in the file cabinet.
  4. chastise
    scold or criticize severely
    Helen chastised herself for being so careless.
  5. bemused
    perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements
    When she turned back to Mr. Lawrence, he was looking at her, a bemused expression on his face.
  6. pomade
    hairdressing consisting of a perfumed oil or ointment
    John appeared at the garage door in a new shirt and his hair slicked back with a fresh coat of pomade.
  7. pique
    call forth, as an emotion, feeling, or response
    Harrison Barton was due to arrive at any moment to take her somewhere special, he’d said, piquing her interest.
  8. vicariously
    indirectly, as, by, or through a substitute
    Olivia struggled with an unexplained guilt every time she splurged, which made Ruby’s attempt to enjoy shopping vicariously through her best friend less than ideal.
  9. appraise
    estimate the nature, quality, ability or significance of
    I was told they appraise and polish precious keepsakes. And I had to be sure my prize was worthy of the wearer.
  10. forgo
    do without or cease to hold or adhere to
    They rode Chestnut together when Tommy or Hetty weren’t available, the pair of them forgoing the carriage.
  11. apprehension
    fearful expectation or anticipation
    His presence filled her with a mixture of exasperation and apprehension.
  12. elicit
    call forth, as an emotion, feeling, or response
    Washington DeWight glanced around, comically exaggerating his movements, and eliciting a peal of laughter from Olivia loud enough to turn heads.
  13. whim
    a sudden desire
    “You have a wonderful opportunity at happiness. I don’t want to see you throw it away on a whim. So, I will ask once more: Is there something you want to tell me?”
  14. plait
    a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair
    She much preferred a quick unscented bath and simply styled hair, plaits or twists she could easily tie away from her face.
  15. upstart
    an arrogant or presumptuous person
    He watched politely as her sister suffered a dance with Mr. Greenfield and then spoke with a young lawyer Helen didn’t recognize, an upstart, if the rumors were to be believed.
  16. solemn
    dignified and somber in manner or character
    Olivia danced with the lawyer as well, her expressions dynamic, moving from animated to solemn over the course of the song.
  17. doting
    extravagantly or foolishly loving and indulgent
    And once again, Jacob Lawrence was at Olivia’s side. He played the part of doting suitor perfectly.
  18. divan
    a long backless sofa, usually with pillows
    He fell heavily into the other chair. Too close, she thought. Yet not close enough. If you had run off to the morning room, you could have shared the divan.
  19. homely
    lacking in physical beauty or proportion
    “Look, you don’t have to entertain the homely sister,” she said. “You and Olivia are perfect for each other. She’ll be a great wife, like she is at everything else. She’s compassionate and beautiful. And—”
  20. stickler
    someone who insists on something
    Harold and Edward, sticklers for protocol, were always nicely starched, but Amy-Rose, Jessie, and the others were not required to wear a uniform.
  21. savvy
    marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
    Three times a widow, Maude Davis had amassed a small fortune that she multiplied with savvy investments along the South Side.
  22. ardent
    characterized by intense emotion
    Amy-Rose let herself imagine what it would be like if John Davenport, the ardent bachelor, were to choose her as the girl to call his wife.
  23. gangly
    tall, thin, and awkward
    In that moment, she saw a glimpse of the young boy she had known. Tall and gangly, not deterred by the constant company of his sisters and their friends.
  24. smitten
    marked by foolish or unreasoning fondness
    “Well, whatever you’re doing with Harrison Barton, it’s working. John seems absolutely smitten.”
  25. reverence
    a feeling of profound respect for someone or something
    Ruby looked into his eyes, eyes that looked at her with such reverence.
  26. disclose
    make known to the public information previously kept secret
    Now that Olivia was here, though, Ruby was unsure of where to start. How much to disclose. This wasn’t gossip about just any of the young men who wanted to shower her with attention.
  27. reprimand
    censure severely or angrily
    Now she reprimanded herself for being so caught up in her own worries that she didn’t at least try to find out what ruined her friend’s night.
  28. rift
    a personal or social separation
    There was a time when she and Olivia had shared so many secrets and dreams. They had been close friends who would not have hesitated to comfort each other. Olivia knew she had created this rift between them. She wasn’t sure she could mend it.
  29. propriety
    correct behavior
    Amy-Rose only addressed her so formally when people outside the household were present. Her mother prided herself on propriety, but otherwise did not hold Amy-Rose to the same standards as the rest of the staff.
  30. commission
    place an order for
    We can commission an arbor or gazebo for the ceremony.
  31. goad
    urge with or as if with a prod
    She felt as tense as her horse Chestnut before Olivia goaded her over a hedge.
  32. copse
    a dense growth of trees, shrubs, or bushes
    She stopped in a small copse of trees near the stables, ready to turn back, when she heard her name.
  33. forlorn
    marked by or showing hopelessness
    The forlorn look in his features was gone, replaced by mild amusement.
  34. settee
    a small sofa
    She was sitting in a lounge chair with a cold compress over her eyes and feet propped up on a settee.
  35. emboss
    raise in a relief
    Tucked away in her purse was a leather-bound journal for Washington, with his initials embossed on the cover.
  36. incur
    make oneself subject to
    “And incur the wrath of Jessie? You know better than to eat pastries outside of your kitchen.”
  37. poised
    marked by balance or equilibrium and readiness for action
    Jacob Lawrence was there, arm raised, hand poised to use the knocker.
  38. sentinel
    a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
    His attempts at small talk made an unwanted interaction even more awkward, especially with her chaperone sitting sentinel between them.
  39. speculation
    a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence
    She wanted to trust him, that there was some reason he and Olivia welcomed the speculation on their relationship.
  40. divulge
    make known to the public information previously kept secret
    Ruby had thought about divulging more of her own troubles with romance, and Olivia had tried to draw it out of her, but there was no good way to explain what she’d done.
Created on Fri Aug 09 12:36:56 EDT 2024 (updated Sat Aug 10 16:54:34 EDT 2024)

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