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Mrs. Northcote
Marjorie is Brenda Last’s younger sister. Though lovely as well, she is “more solid than Brenda.” She and her husband Allan are popular but not rich, and they live in a small house in London. Brenda normally stays with them when she comes to town, until she gets her own flat. Marjorie consistently disapproves of Brenda’s affair with the odious John Beaver, though she is almost alone among London socialites in doing so.
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Marjorie Character Timeline in A Handful of Dust
The timeline below shows where the character Marjorie appears in A Handful of Dust. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2: English Gothic—I
Brenda goes to visit her sister Marjorie in London, as she does on occasion, always travelling by third class rail. Surprised to...
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...Hetton, Brenda meets Beaver in London for dinner before the party. After a drink at Marjorie’s, in the cab to the restaurant, Beaver tries to kiss Brenda. She resists, leaving Beaver...
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The next morning, Brenda is self-conscious about this apparent rejection and affirms to Marjorie her illogical attraction to the admittedly unlikable John Beaver. Polly calls up and reveals that...
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...the confidence of a definite customer. In the meantime, however, Brenda continues to stay with Marjorie, who maintains her condemnation of Brenda’s affair, calling it “hard cheese on Tony.” The rest...
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Chapter 3: Hard Cheese on Tony
...hunt at Hetton, a grand annual tradition. The weekend before the hunt, Brenda invites Jock, Marjorie, and Marjorie’s husband Allan to Hetton, and Tony enjoys the company. Brenda devotes the whole...
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Chapter 4: English Gothic—II
...Beaver and frequenting Brown’s club instead. Friends try unsuccessfully to comfort Tony and play peacemaker. Marjorie and Allan attempt to convince him that this is only a phase and that Brenda...
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Chapter 5: In Search of a City
...has procured. She breaks down crying about all her friends abandoning her. John Beaver, Jock, Marjorie, Allan, Polly Cockpurse, even Jenny Abdul Akbar: all of them are off enjoying varied and...
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