Lady Audley’s Secret: Volume 1, Chapter 12 Summary & Analysis

Robert returns to Fig-tree Court to find no trace of George. He then goes to Southampton, to Mr. Maldon’s cabin. There he finds Mr. Maldon and Little Georgey. Robert remarks how Georgey looks like his father but is completely unlike George in behavior. The house is dirty and smells of tobacco and brandy.

Maldon tells Robert that George stopped by late the previous evening but left after an hour. According to Maldon, George intends to go back to Australia and is leaving from Liverpool that night. Robert questions why George would do this without telling him or picking up his possessions. Maldon says George has acted strange ever since Helen’s death. Robert still thinks it’s not like George to be so cruel.

Robert asks Georgey if he saw George last night. The little boy says he didn’t. Maldon says Georgey was asleep when George came. Georgey then asks for the pretty lady who gave him his gold watch. Maldon claims that his grandson is talking about Maldon’s old captain’s wife, and Georgey’s watch is getting cleaned.

Maldon reveals to Robert that he pawned the watch because he needed the money. He says that George and others have mistreated him. He continues to lament his poverty and then takes Georgey to bed.

Left alone in the living room, Robert goes to light his cigar on the fireplace. There, he finds a half-burned scrap of paper, part of a telegram that reads, “____alboys came to _______ last night, and left by the mail for London, on his way for Liverpool, whence he was to sail for Sydney.” Robert wonders what this could mean and decides to go to Liverpool.