Isola: A Novel

Marguerite, at nine years old, lives with her nurse Damienne at Perigord chateau in France. Her mother died in childbirth and her father died in battle. She has no close relatives, only a guardian—her father’s cousin, Jean-Francois de la Rocque de Roberval—who oversees her inheritance until she comes of age and weds. Damienne tells Marguerite grand stories about her parents, and she teaches the young girl how to behave like a lady, though Marguerite prefers to run wild around the chateau.

One day, Roberval visits Perigord. Roberval is a voyager, so Marguerite hardly ever sees the man. Roberval greets the women in the great hall, and Damienne trembles in his presence. Roberval looks Marguerite over, but an ornate trinket cabinet catches Marguerite’s attention. Roberval shows her the cabinet and gives her a small pile of gold. Marguerite wishes Roberval would give her the whole cabinet, but he dismisses her and instructs her to improve her reading and writing.

Marguerite and Damienne return to their quarters. Damienne is grateful Roberval didn’t separate them, but Marguerite only thinks about the cabinet. Damienne plans to use the gold to hire teachers and purchase gowns, a virginal, and a bird for the young girl.

Years pass, and Marguerite slowly improves her writing and musical abilities. Her teacher, Madame Jacqueline D’Artois, lives at Perigord with her daughter Claire. Claire, a modest girl around Marguerite’s age, keeps her distance from Marguerite, and Marguerite envies Claire’s diligence—but more deeply she envies the girl’s relationship with her mother. One night, Marguerite confesses her jealousy to Damienne, and Damienne instructs Marguerite to follow Claire’s example to improve herself.

Marguerite takes this advice and works diligently and uncomplainingly. The women make an altar for the Virgin Mary, and Marguerite secretly pretends the Virgin is her own mother. Claire tells Marguerite about her own father’s death, and she shares stories from her time at Queen Marguerite of Navarre’s court. Marguerite laments that she doesn’t have sisters, but she and Claire soon become inseparable. The family of Marguerite’s betrothed send questions to Roberval, and Marguerite secretly hopes Roberval’s voyage to sea will delay his response. However, Roberval returns to France, and Marguerite worries she will be separated from Claire.

Marguerite puts on her best gown to meet Roberval in the great hall. She quickly explains her improvements. Roberval inspects Marguerite’s ruby ring and declares she is too young to marry. Claire suspects Roberval has ulterior motives for delaying Marguerite’s marriage because she knows he lost much of Marguerite’s fortune on a recent sea voyage. Roberval mortgages Perigord to a merchant family, the Montforts, so Marguerite moves into the cold north tower. Damienne tries to remain patient, but Marguerite is deeply disturbed by Roberval’s misuse of her money.

To cheer the girls up, Madame D’Artois reads to them from the book of ladies. The book describes a city of extraordinary women who display great strength and virtue. The girls pretend their own tower is the imaginary city of women. In the summer, the girls wander in the garden, and Madame D’Artois teaches parables. Marguerite doesn’t heed her virtuous lessons, and she looks on the Montfort family with disdain.

The chateau prepares for Anne Montfort’s wedding. Marguerite watches the flow of people and fine goods into the chateau, and she wishes she could marry to escape Roberval. She worries Roberval’s loss leaves her with few prospects. Claire tries to remain positive, since they still have shelter and food, but Marguerite is stubborn in her displeasure. Marguerite dreams about Claire starting her own order of nuns where they can escape the world of men.

Damienne falls sick, and Marguerite nurses her as best she can, reading stories from the book of ladies to comfort her. Damienne prays for Roberval’s fortune, since Marguerite’s betrothed already married someone else. Marguerite sees Roberval arrive at Perigord, and Roberval’s man, Henri, brings Marguerite an invitation. Madame D’Artois offers to present the girl in Damienne’s stead. Damienne gives some final advice, but Marguerite is determined to make Roberval see her poor conditions.

Roberval briefly questions Marguerite and decrees that she’ll accompany him soon to his home in La Rochelle. Marguerite asks to bring her companions with her, to which Roberval agrees. Roberval speaks privately with his secretary, but Marguerite doesn’t leave, and she bravely asks for money to live on in the meantime. Roberval laughs and throws her a purse of gold, which she catches above her head.

Marguerite turns 16 and hires a barber to extract Damienne’s diseased tooth. She sits with Damienne through the painful surgery and nurses her back to health. Another year passes, and Marguerite orders new gowns for herself and Claire. The girls walk in the gardens to show off, drawing the attention of the young Montfort children, Suzanne and Ysabeau. Marguerite offers to teach them, and the children venture to the tower for lessons.

One day, Marguerite and Claire fancily arrange the children’s hair, and the girls want to show their mother. Marguerite follows the children to Madame Katherine Montfort’s room. Madame Montfort thanks Marguerite for her daughters’ lessons and offers to provide supplies for their studies. Marguerite leaves, but she sneaks into the empty great hall to look around. Nicholas Montfort, one of the older sons, discovers and questions her. Rather than apologize for her wandering, Marguerite defends herself. Nicholas asks about Claire, but Marguerite protects her friend and runs from the room.

The next day, Suzanne and Ysabeau bring paper and a poem from Nicholas for Claire. Nicholas continues to send letters and books, but Claire refuses to reply. Marguerite prays to the Virgin for relief, since she knows Nicholas has no intention of marrying Claire.

Nicholas continues to send gifts to Claire, and in fear, the women confine themselves to the tower. Claire worries her refusals will make Nicholas angry, and in his anger, he could remove her from the house. Claire and Marguerite pray and continue to teach the young girls, hoping to stay in Madame Montfort’s good graces.

One morning, Marguerite watches Nicholas leave with a hunting party, and she proposes to teach the children outside while he’s absent. As the girls look at shapes in the clouds, they hear horses returning early. Marguerite sees Nicholas, gravely injured, being carried back to the house. Claire leads a prayer for his safety. After waiting for hours, Marguerite and Claire bring the children to their chambers and stay with them while their servants are occupied.

Damienne and Madame D’Artois join the girls as they wait for Suzanne and Ysabeau’s nurse. The girls report on their brother’s poor condition the next day. Physicians tend to Nicholas’ wounds, but nothing helps the infection. Claire and Marguerite wander freely through the garden, and despite his actions, Claire prays for Nicholas’ recovery. Henri arrives and informs Marguerite that she and Damienne must follow him to La Rochelle in the morning.

Marguerite reports the sudden news to Damienne and orders the servants to pack their belongings. She worries about the other women, but Madame D’Artois and Claire plan to stay at Perigord to teach the children. Marguerite grieves when she realizes Claire and Madame knew about her departure and secretly planned to keep their positions.

Claire wakes Marguerite early to report Nicholas’s death. Marguerite confronts Claire about her betrayal, but Claire is adamant they needed security if Roberval refused to accept them at La Rochelle. To prove her love, Claire offers Marguerite her ring from the Queen. Marguerite gives Claire her ruby ring. Claire proposes to exchange the rings again when they meet next, but Marguerite isn’t hopeful they’ll see each other again. Marguerite and Damienne depart on horseback, taking one last look at the only home either of them ever knew.