Susan Stringham Timeline and Summary

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Susan Stringham Timeline and Summary

  • Susan takes Milly on a trip to Europe under the recommendation of Milly's doctor.
  • In Switzerland, Susan catches up with Milly one day to find the girl perched on the edge of a cliff as if she's about to throw herself off.
  • Susan also picks up a book that Milly has left on the nearby ground. Across its cover, Milly has written "farewell" in French.
  • Later that evening, Milly tells Susan that she'd like to see London. Susan thinks it's because Milly wants to see a young Englishman she met in New York named Merton Densher, but Milly assures her it's because she wants to see the English people.
  • Susan decides that London might be a good idea, since she has a rich old school friend who lives there named Maud Lowder. Lowder is happy to hear from her and invites her to dinner as soon as she arrives.
  • Susan is happy to have Milly with her to present like a trophy to Maud. Maud has enjoyed a much more successful marriage and much richer life than Susan has, and Susan is happy to have a beautiful young woman like Milly at her side.
  • Susan and Maud spend the next while catching up. Maud becomes particularly interested when Susan tells her that Milly knows Merton Densher. Maud tells Susan that she and Kate both know Merton themselves.
  • Susan finds out that Milly has been visiting a famous doctor in London named Sir Luke Strett. Milly asks Susan to meet with Strett and to find out what's wrong with her while Milly goes out alone.
  • Susan also finds out that Milly is interested in Merton Densher and tells Maud.
  • Maud in turn tells Susan to tell Milly that even though Merton likes Kate Croy, Kate is not the least bit interested in him. It seems that Maud wants to pave the way for a relationship between Merton and Milly, especially since Milly seems to be terminally ill.
  • Susan and Milly eventually decide to leave for a vacation to Italy. Maud, Kate, and Merton decide to tag along.
  • Milly's health takes a turn for the worse when a man named Lord Mark visits her and tells her that Merton and Kate are engaged. Susan travels to Merton's rented rooms and asks him to visit Milly and deny it. Merton can't do that, though.
  • When Merton leaves for London, Susan is left alone to watch Milly waste away and die. She is brokenhearted and we hear nothing from her after that.
  • It'd be nice to know, though, whether Milly included anything for her in her will. Even though Susan was a bit of a parasite, she was super-sweet to Milly.