The Dutch House

In the six months after Maeve’s heart attack, Elna settles in with Maeve, and the two women form a strong mother-daughter bond. May and Kevin, who accompany Danny on his weekly trips down from New York, also get the chance to know their grandmother, whom they see as a mysterious figure. Danny, however, is miserable; Celeste is impatient with his continued absences and brusquely breaks the news to him that Maeve really has no need of him because she has her mother. Maeve finally grows tired of the tension between Danny and Elna. She tells Danny that he needs to act like an adult and that the return of Elna is all Maeve ever wanted. Danny is missing out by continuing to rebuff his mother.

Because Danny is around, he also learns more about his mother’s years away: She managed to get back from India when her passage was paid by a rich family (she had a knack for fundraising, and doing some fundraising in San Francisco was the cost of her ticket). In San Francisco, she continued her charity work (much the same way she continues it now in Jenkintown). Danny also learns more about Elna’s early life. Elna was going to be a nun, had even begun her pre-candidacy, but she backed out when Cyril came to the nunnery and told her that being a nun was not the life for her. Danny is incredulous when he hears the story. These stories and Maeve’s insistence that she does not agree with Danny’s treatment of Elna convince him that he must change. He decides to make peace with his mother.

In subsequent years, Maeve and Elna become a pair. They go on outings together and live in Maeve’s house in Jenkintown. One day Elna drives the three Conroys to the Dutch House on a whim, despite Danny and Maeve’s insistence that doing so is a bad idea. When she persists, Maeve tells her that Andrea threw them out years ago, so they were never welcome to return. Elna seems unfazed by this revelation and asserts her prerogative as a mother by insisting that going into the house and talking to Andrea will be good for all involved.

When they breach the outer edges of the property, Andrea rushes out to embrace Danny, whom she mistakes for Cyril. Unable to extricate himself despite Maeve’s attempt to force Andrea’s nurse to get Andrea, Danny enters the house, where he is joined by Elna and Maeve. Danny is surprised to see that the house is virtually unchanged. The only change is Andrea, who has severe dementia. Norma, who grew up to be a doctor and has moved back home to care for her mother, greets them as well. This meeting of the Conroy children, Andrea, and Norma is filled with tension that only increases as Maeve makes more cutting comments about Andrea, the house, and Elna.

To make matters even more difficult, Elna’s overdeveloped sense of charity kicks in. She announces to her children that she intends to return to the Dutch House to help take care of Andrea and provide respite for Norma. The irony of Elna returning to the Dutch House to take care of Andrea but not having been willing to stay or return to take care of her own children is too much for Maeve to bear. Maeve takes the big portrait of herself (Andrea thinks the portrait is of her own daughter) from among those of the VanHoebeeks to the car, where Danny joins her. On the drive home, Maeve attempts to explain to Elna how unhappy the thought of Elna being in the Dutch House makes her, but Elna refuses to listen. Maeve gives her portrait to May (the two look remarkably alike). Maeve dies two weeks later in her mother’s company.

Danny is so stricken by grief that he cannot offer comfort to Mr. Otterson, who seems to be undone by Maeve’s death as well.

This chapter is one that wraps up the different narrative threads. Danny and Celeste divorce three years after Maeve’s death. Danny is shocked to discover that, like Elna, Celeste never liked the house her husband purchased for her. Danny sees his mother infrequently for several years, but he begins returning to the Dutch House after some time. In one of these early visits, he sees Andrea, whose dementia is very advanced. Her pitiable state finally convinces Danny to put his anger at her to rest. These visits also allow him time to get to know Norma.

Meanwhile, May and Kevin grow up. Kevin becomes a doctor, but May becomes a famous actor. The many stories Maeve told her about the Dutch House took root, so when Andrea dies and Norma decides that she does not want the house, May jumps at the chance to buy it. With her fourth film, she finally has the money to do so. The novel closes with a scene in which Danny attends a party at the house thrown by May, who looks so much like Maeve that Danny mistakes her for his sister in the dark. May sees the house as her own, and Danny finally returns to the house without anger.