A Handful of Dust

Hetton Abbey is a large, notable house in an unfashionable style. Tony’s family has lived in the house for many generations, and he feels obliged to continue living there with Brenda and John, even though it is very costly to maintain. Each room is named after a character from Arthurian legend, with some being more comfortable than others. Tony wakes up alone in his bedroom and then takes breakfast in Brenda’s bedroom. They make small talk about their plans. She mentions that the house seems empty; Tony does not like to entertain, as he does not “keep up this house to be a hostel for a lot of bores to come and gossip in” (14). As he says this, he remembers about the invitation he made in jest to Beaver.

Outside, the young John Andrew Last rides his pony, Thunderclap, under the supervision of Ben. John adores Ben, the working-class riding instructor and general handyman, and repeats his stories enthusiastically to anyone who will listen. Though neither Tony nor Brenda take part in the local fox hunting, they are “anxious that John should like it” (16). Such horseback fox hunts are a favorite pursuit of the English elite. John tells his nanny about his latest efforts at jumping fences on Thunderclap. Later, she complains to Brenda about Ben’s coarse influence on John. Later, Tony warns John not to use language unbecoming of “people of [John’s] age and class” (19).

Tony receives a telegram from Beaver announcing that he will arrive for a visit on the train. Tony is unenthusiastic, but Brenda is keen for a distraction. They plan to put Beaver in the Galahad room, famous for its uncomfortable bed. Tony is absent when Beaver arrives, so Brenda chats aimlessly with the guest. They gossip about people in London. John enters and talks excitedly about horses and hunting. Later, John admits to his nanny that he found Beaver to be “a very silly man” (25). When Brenda talks to Tony, he apologizes for his absence. She suggests that Beaver is “rather pathetic” but not bad company. The following day, Tony attends church while Beaver stays with Brenda. Later, he gives Beaver a tour of the house. Beaver is “well practiced in the art of being shown houses” and makes the right sort of comments to his host before he is again left with Brenda, who admits to him that she detests the “appallingly ugly” house (32). The cost of running the house, she mentions, eats up all their disposable income and leaves them relatively poor. Brenda persuades Beaver to stay until Monday. After a quiet evening, Beaver departs the next day. Tony is pleased to see him go while Brenda mentions that he “wasn’t too awful” (35).

When Beaver returns to his mother, he assures her that the weekend was awful but improved. He mentions that Brenda seemed interested in potentially renting an apartment in London, which Mrs. Beaver may be able to arrange. Brenda visits London occasionally to go shopping or to see her chiropractor. Typically, she stays with her sister, Marjorie. She visits Marjorie and talks about Beaver’s visit, eventually confessing that she is attracted to him. Brenda and Marjorie are invited to a party thrown by Polly Cockpurse. After a chance meeting with Mrs. Beaver, where they talk about apartments, Brenda wonders whether she will see Beaver at the party. She asks Beaver to take her to the party and, after initially declining, he sends a telegram to accept her invitation.

Brenda goes to London to attend Polly’s party. Tony tries to explain her absence to John, who delights in his father’s mention of Polly’s monkey-like appearance. Beaver comes to Marjorie’s apartment to pick up Brenda. He looks “very elegant and rather more than his age” (43). In the week that they have been apart, Brenda and Beaver have “grown more intimate with each other than any actual occurrence warranted” (44). Beaver takes Brenda to a bar before the party and, though she declines his kiss in the taxi, she does not rebuke his approach. Instead, she assures him that he has “a lot to learn” (45). Before they arrive at the party, she kisses him.

At the party, Brenda socializes while Beaver often finds himself alone. They slip out early and visit another bar, then Beaver accompanies her to Marjorie’s house, where they bid farewell. He promises to call her in the morning, and when he arrives home, she calls him to say goodnight. Marjorie is shocked that her sister could be attracted to “such a dreary young man” (49). Soon, many people in London are gossiping about Brenda being seen out with a man who is not her husband. Beaver complains to his mother that he “can’t afford to start talking about women like Brenda Last” (51).

When Brenda returns to Hetton, she does not mention Beaver. Instead, she tells Tony about her desire to rent an apartment in London. Money is tight, but Tony agrees to delay renovating the house to free up money for an apartment. Mrs. Beaver shows the room to Brenda, who stays with Marjorie while the room is prepared. Marjorie criticizes her sister’s “ridiculous mistake.” The affair is “hard cheese on Tony” (56), Marjorie says, and Marjorie does not want to be involved. Meanwhile, Beaver is delighted to finally be “a person of interest and, almost, of consequence” (57). When the apartment is ready, Brenda stays there with Beaver whenever she visits London.

Over Christmas, Beaver goes with his mother to Ireland while Brenda visits with Tony’s relatives. She is bored throughout her trip, though she sends an expensive ring to Beaver even though she has forbidden him to buy her anything. When they see each other next, he is wearing the ring. At a New Year’s party, Brenda tells Tony about her plan to take an economics course. The course will require her to visit London more often.