The Family Upstairs

Lucy and the children circle around to the back of the house, planning to sneak in through the roof. Once in the back lawn, Lucy notices that one of the windowpanes on the back door is broken, and the back door is unlocked. Lucy and the children go in through the back door and walk around the house. After they explore the house, Lucy and the children sit in the back garden. Marco finds a stick and pokes around the remains of the herb garden. Suddenly, Marco asks Lucy what happened in the house. Lucy asks what he means, and Marco says, “you always said your aunt brought you to France because you were an orphan. But I’m starting to think that something really, really bad must have happened to make her bring you. And I think it happened in this house” (221). Lucy says they will talk about it later.

Lucy remembers she used to try to write about all the traumatic things that happened to her in the house, because “she needed to write it down to make it into a story instead of the truth about her life” (222), but she always destroyed the pages. The only reason Lucy would return to this place is because of the baby, who she now knows is 25 and has been by the house, as evident by the broken back door and the signs of recent activity in the house. Lucy plans to wait at the house for the baby to come back. 

In Chelsea, in 1992, Martina Lamb becomes pregnant. It is clear to everyone that her husband, Henry Lamb, is not the father. Henry, Martina’s son, had started to notice Martina’s growing attraction to David, and observed, “I could see that my mother was under David’s spell entirely, that she was willing to sacrifice everything for David and his approval, even her family” (224). David makes the announcement about the pregnancy to everyone at dinner, with Birdie and Martina sitting on either side of him. Henry is surprised by how happy his mother appears about the announcement, and wonders, “Was she not embarrassed? Was she not ashamed?” (225). Hearing the announcement, Henry’s sister bursts into tears and Clemency runs to the bathroom to throw up. Martina explains that Henry’s father knows about her relations with David and understands, and Birdie adds that she is not able to have children. David adds, “This house needs a baby. Your amazing mother is doing this for all of us. She is a goddess” (226).

As Martina’s pregnancy progresses, she is allowed to eat whatever she wants. Henry reflects that everyone besides his mother looks malnourished since they eat a sparce and mostly vegan diet. Birdie begins making maternity clothing out of black cotton fabric. Eventually, Birdie and David decide that everyone should have to wear Birdie’s homemade black tunics and leggings, and Birdie comes into Henry’s room demanding that he donate all his old clothing to charity. As Birdie is taking Henry’s clothes, Henry asks Birdie if she is jealous of his mother because David was her boyfriend first. Birdie insists, “he’s my partner. I don’t own him. He doesn’t own me. All that matters is his happiness” (230), but Henry isn’t convinced that Birdie is fine with the arrangement. Meanwhile, Henry notices that his own sister is now 13 and is growing into a beautiful young woman. 

After leaving Phin’s apartment, Libby arrives at work in the afternoon, two minutes late for her afternoon meeting. This is unusual for Libby, as she is usually very prepared for meetings. Libby gets through the meeting, and then meets up with Dido in her office and tells Dido about the previous night. When Libby mentions that she and Miller Roe fell asleep in the same bed, Dido insists Libby and Miller Roe have a connection. Just then, Libby’s phone vibrates. When Libby answers, it is Miller Roe. Miller Roe explains that the recording he took the previous night of their conversation with Phin has been deleted. Miller Roe is sure he recorded the meeting and reminds Libby that both of them remember having their phones with them when they went to bed. Miller Roe thinks Phin snuck into their room after they were asleep, used Miller Roe’s thumbprint to unlock his phone, and stole both cell phones. Libby realizes her phone’s passcode is her birthday and Phin may have searched through her phone or even added spyware. Libby and Miller Roe also remember feeling really hazy and speculate that Phin may have drugged them before bed. Miller Roe says he has been researching Birdie and Justin and asks Libby to come meet him. Libby hangs up the phone, and Dido suggests Libby take some annual leave from her job, since researching the house is more important. Dido suggests they say Libby is sick. Libby agrees, thanks Dido, and leaves work to go meet up with Miller Roe.

By May of 1992, David makes a rule that nobody is allowed to leave the Chelsea mansion or step outside. David believes, “The outside world, filled as it was with meat eaters and fumes and germs that could not be fought off by sweaty exercise and pretty flowers alone, was sure to bring about the death of David’s precious spawn” (237). The group gets vegetables delivered and eats grains and beans from their pantry. One day, David and Birdie force everyone to give up their shoes, and the shoes are collected and donated to charity. After the shoes are confiscated, nobody leaves the house for the next two years until the night of the deaths.