On this page can be found a summary of the whole book. Parts of it tell about the life of the narrator in India retracing the steps of Olivia, and the other part will handle with the life of Olivia herself in India of 1923. The information the narrator gets is mostly based on letters Olivia wrote to her sister Marcia.

-Summaries of the 1970’s-
-Summaries of 1923-

P. 7-8: The book begins with an exposition telling about Olivia who went away with the
Nawab and how she became a ”forbidden topic” for her relatives and friends. Told
by the female narrator of the story, we get to know that she is the nice of Tessie, but
doesn’t remember the people very well. So she wants to make a trip to India to
discover more about the life of Olivia which changes her feelings and impressions,
too.
“Fortunately, during my first few months here, I kept a journal, so I have some record of my early impressions. If I were to try and recollect them now, I might not be able to do so. They are no longer the same, because I myself am no longer the same. India always changes people, and I have been no exception.” (P.8, ll. 9-13)

P. 8-18:The Narrator arrives in Bombay and talks about her first impression of her arrival in India. In her first night she speaks with an old woman who explains her a bit about the different life here and that she must be more careful. Some days later she finds a room in Satipur and gets to know Inder Lal. She compares her arrival to Olivia’s and we get first information about this main character of the story. After having get to know Inder Lals wife and the mother she describes how her first days in Satipur are. Of course, she changes clothing. Then she visits the Nawabs Palace in Kathm and is informed about his nephew now owning the Palace. She already visited him in London.

P. 18-24: Olivia gets to know the Nawab on a party in his Palace. By that time she already there for some months and has got to know the Crawfors, the Minnies and Saunders. As they begin to tell their stories on the party she recognizes how boring they seem to her, and how different luckily is Douglas. Contemporary she is studied by the Nawab. Some days later he comes to visit her and this is the first evening Douglas comes home not finding her half in tears. They are invited to another party of the Nawab’s, but Douglas declines the invitation.
“His eyes often rested on her, and she let him study her while pretending not to notice.
She likes it- as she had liked the way he had looked at her when she had first come in.”
(P. 21, ll. 28-30)

P. 24-28: On this few pages is presented the first encounter with the narrator’s later friend and lover Chid.  Going through the city, the narrator gets to the old travellers bungalow, where she finds 2 English and another man standing on the veranda, trying to get in. They are shortly described and complain about having had so much misadventure since they got to India, whereas the ascetic is not disappointed. He tells the story of how he became “Chid” and that he was sent on pilgrimage.
Further more she gets to the old Saunders’ house, where she sees a baby grave.

P. 29-49: Back in the 192o’s, Olivias attitude towards graves is presented. As she sees the Saunders’ baby grave she somehow gets into depression fearing her own possible baby to die. Douglas consulates her. It’s the first time she expresses antipathy towards Satipur.
“No, if we stay here, we’ll die. I know it. You’ll see. (P. 30 ll. 2-3)

(P. 30) The following day Olivia visits Mrs. Saunders, whose house she doesn’t like, accompanied her attitude towards slaves. But one thing seems to connect them: Mrs. Saunders too, in the past pleased her man to leave. Together, they start to cry.

(P. 32) Olivia and Beth visit the Begum. She feels uncomfortable being the only one together with Beth and the Begum herself to sit on chairs while the other women sit on the floor. Everyone seems to play a certain role, like in a theatre. She is relieved as they leave, but unhappy for not having seen the Nawab.
(–> One of the first signs for a deeper connection?)

Later the two of them visit Mrs. Minnies, but Olivia feels as an outsider. As she asks them something about the Naway they immediately change theme, beginning to speak about Simla. Hopefully they could return there, because three years ago had been a problem with the Nawabs wife. Straight away Beth asks if she will come with them, too.

(P. 37) Some days later Harry comes to visit her, whom she asks about Sandy, the Nawab’s wife. He tells her that Sandy’s family didn’t want her to marry the Indian Prince.

(P. 39)  A short description lets us have a deeper insight in Douglas’ work, where, as he says, the men behave partly like children. As he tells Olivia about him having organized her journey  to Simla, she collapses.

(P. 43) The Nawab invites Olivia to have a picnic to him. He transports her to a beautiful place with a shire of one of his ancestors. For a moment they come a little bit closer, holding both of their hands into a source, seen as a miracle by the inhabitants.
“They were side by side. he looked at her intensely and she looked down at her hands which she was dabbling in the water.” (P. 48 ll. 7-
(–> At this point Olivia develops a kind of love for the Nawab.)

P. 49-56:Now the narrator tells about  the beginning of the very detailed letter which Olivia wrote to her sister Marcia. (–> From now on the events in 1923 become absolutely true and very detailed) She wonders about Marcias handling with them.
The narrator describes her typical routine of  a day, which is every day the same ( wake up early, cook, work, go to the post office [ Olvias breakfast room]). Now the meetings with Inder Lal are more numerous, because the y became friends and talk about everything. He explains Ritu to have been very homesick after the marriage and that he couldn’t speak with her as with the narrator. A description of him follows.

(P. 52) The narrator tells about herself improving her Hindi but still she doesn’t get in contact with Ritu,
who is simply to shy. Currently it is also the time of an extreme heat and so in the backyards are formed
some kind of communal dormitories. One night she hears Ritu scream, but together with the mother the can
calm her down covering her in grains.

(P. 54) After this event the mother and the narrator get in very close contact. She takes her with her to her
friends outings, where she gets to know Maji, the leader od them who seems to have something more than
a normal person. She really likes the women.
After that the mother takes her to a suttee shrine, which had last taken place in Olivias time.

P. 56-61 A suttee is taking place, but Douglas comes to late to save a woman from burning. As he handles the situation very well he gets much congratulations, but seems not very happy about it.
Until now Olivia still has not mentioned the picnic, because of not finding the right opportunity. Now the Nawab comes to visit her every second day. One afternoon Douglas finds the two of them talking but the Nawab handles the “discovery” well by talking with him about the suttees.
Some day later Douglas and Olivia are on a party where too, the suttees are the main theme. As she  asks
wether the would know if the woman had wanted to die all begin to dicuss this strange religion. Finally
Olivia becomes angry and sais that she would want to die too, if Douglas did, which causes him to melt away
in tenderness.

P. 61-67:While the narrator goes home with Inder Lal, the hear a groan coming from the royal tombs. She discovers Chid who is in such a bad state that she takes him home to take care of him. When everything is okay again he seems not to want to leave and takes possession of various things in the narrator’s flat. Other think that she is privileged because of having this holy man. Also Inder Lal is very impressed by Chid and they talk a lot, but still they don’t know much about him, whereas he uses everything he can get from her, they even sleep with each other.
The Husband’s Wedding Day is coming and everyone makes his way to the shrine where Olivia and the Nawab
had their picnic. It seems not to be the same as 50 years ago.

P. 67-76 The Husbands Wedding Day is very difficult for Major Minnies, because of the amount of disturbances between Hindus and Muslims. Douglas too, is very preoccupied and wants the Nawab to stop it, but he seems not to have the power for that or he doesn’t want to stop it because of him being a Muslim, too, as Mrs. Crawford and Minnies say. Suddenly Harry comes because he couldn’t stand anymore the situation in the palace. Even the Nawab behaved strange.

(P.72) Harry rests some days and one afternoon Mrs. Crawford comes to make plans clear for Simla.
Douglas and Olivia want Harry to stay, but the Nawab comes to take him home, having invited his mum.
That showes the deep devotion to Harry after all the years of being together.

P. 77-82:Chid and the narrator are now both accepted in the Indian society. It’s the time of hot dust storms and everyone is affected by this heat, except for Chid who stilll keeps robbing the narrator’s possessions.
Ritu has a bigger problem with it, she seems to go mad but when she screams nobody seems to listen.
Some days later the narrator gets to know that she havinga treatment, instead of a psychiatric treatment, which she suggests to Indel Lal, who was affected by his mother. He’s in a bad  state to, having fear of
getting into trouble.
But Maji has advices a pilgrimage including Ritu and Chid, to release her from her problems.

P.82-90: While the other women have left for Simla, Olivia stays in Satipur. Every morning Harry comes to take her to the Nawab’s Palace, where she stayes all day long without mentionning it to Douglas. One day the
Nawab asks her to play on the piano he once had buyed for his wife, Sandy.
Contemporarily Douglas and Olivia begin to speak about having children.
One evening Douglas and Olvia invite some guests, but while speaking Olivia notices that they can’t speak
freely in her presence, so she retires in the house, where she thinks about the Nawab.

P. 90-96:The narrator receives her first letter from Chid which from then on continue to come regularly and attract the attention of Inder Lal.
The narrator remembers Karim  and Kitty, the Nawab’s nephew and nice, who she met in London.

P. 97- 102:Harry is not keeping good health, so the narrator goes to visit him in the Palace all days. He notices that she is never taken to the Begum which for him is a bad sign, but not of interest for her. Her only interest is the Nawab who asks her to confide him every problem which she probably might have.
One evening, when Olivia and Douglas  take a stroll they come to the graveyard. After some time they talk about their wish to have children, but Olivia still doesn’t get pregnant and later collapses.

P. 103- 109:As the narrator sees an old beggar woman lying in a strange way she notices her to be very ill. After asking some people and even the hospital for help, she understands that she doen’t get it and visits Maji. They go to an old tree where the woman lies and some how accompany her to death.

P. 103- 116:As Olivia understands that Douglas knows about her visiting the Nawab, she stands up more early in the morning to make breakfast with him and talks about Harry. He promises her that he’ll be all right very soon and that it had been  better for her to go to Dimla, too.
Later she asks Dr. Saunders to come to the Palace and visit Harry, what amuses much the Nawab.

P. 116-120:It is the time short before the monsoon. The narrator and Indel lal go to the shrine to have a picnic, and she discoveres it much changed since she saw it on the Husbands Wedding Day. Sfter having talked for a while Inder Lal shows her tow red strings he broght and both of them expell a wish. Shortly after it they spleep with each other.

P. 120 - 127: Harry comes as usually to take Olivia to the palace, but there is one difference, he tries in all ways to stop her to go. He explains that ha can’t stand it anymore in India, but her only desire is to go to the palace. In fear of becoming like Mrs. Saunders she persuades Harry not to send the car away, but they begin to argue and Harry doesn’t talk to her anymore.
On the way to Khatm the meet the Nawab who already wanted to look were they hav been. He takes Olivia to the shrine while talking about his fears of being to selfish and of losing important people in his life.
When they arrive a group of armed man terrifies Olivia, but the Nawab talks with them and shows that they were only desperados who payed their devotions. He asks her what she would say if someone asked her for the Nawab. He gets in rage when telling her about his past and she tries to concole him.
Later she tries to escape from his grip, but he holds her tight. The make love under a tree nearby.

P.127- 131:Before knowing it by herself, Maji has informed the narrator about her pregnancy and that she too (Maji), once was married and had children. She offers her an abortion.
Chid has come back, not as an ascetic but as a normal Christian boy. He is ill and can’t live on in this country. Inder Lal feels disturbed by his appearance, but doesn’t care when the narrator affirms him that he’s sleeping all night. So, he comes to visit her again at night.
As she doesn’t want to destroy anything in the relationship to Inder Lal she doesn’t tell him about the pregnancy.

P. 131- 143:Olivia finds out about her pregnancy but doesn’t tell Douglas about it. When she arrives in the palace she gets to know that the Begum has decided to go to Mussoorie, so everyone is in a hurry. The Nawab is talking with Major Minnies about problem with Khatm that even Harry doesn’t know. When he escapes he’s very furious and blames even Olivia not to care for him. She runs after him and calls him by his true name for the first time which causes surprise in the Nawabs face. She tells him about her pregnancy and in the same night also Douglas. Both are sure of being the father.
In the evening of the next day Douglas and Major Minnies arrive home late, because of new disputes, which in Douglas’ opinion were caused by the Nawab. She gets very short tempered as Douglas criticises him. Major Minnies tries to ease the situation and explains that he almost admires him, like Olivia. Douglas didn’t knew that before.
Talking about the previous Nawab, his wife and the old Begum, Douglas take Olivias hand in the dark.
She begins to think about the Begum and reasons that she must be a special person in the Nawabs life, because he never talks about her.
Later the Nawab even takes her into his bedroom and shows her everything, being so delighted about her pregnancy. He even wants her to leave Douglas and stay with him.
Some days later Olivia and Douglas return to the graveyard where they argued the last time and talk about the baby.

P. 143- 147:Douglas later has a son with Tessie. Both of them and Beth Crawford with her husband return to England, later the two widows live together.
Chid is getting more and more ill and is in an almost pathetic condition. He’s sent back to Europe.
Olivia stayd in India, but was not anymore the same person who arrived there.

P. 147- 149: Harry comes to visit Olivia the last time. He askes the Nawab to let him return to his mother. She talks with him about a possible abortion afraid of having a baby with black hair.

P. 149- 152:

Women begin to walk after the narrator and offer her help for her pregnancy. She goes to Maji’s hut, where she finds her in samadhi. When she wakes up they talk about a possible abortion.

P. 152- 154: Olivia is going to have done her abortion. During the procedure the Begum arrives to watch herself the action and studies her face. Then Olivia only feels pain.

And finally P. 154- 165: Beth, Tessie and Douglas never spoke anymore about Olivia, till the arrival of Harry.
Olivia was brought to hospital the same night of the abortion and miscarried. Dr. Sauders knew about her doings by the twig he found in her. The next morning she went to the palace without seeing Douglas anymore, and arrived totally pale.
Harry leaves India shortly afterwards, whereas Olivia moved in a house which the Nawab bought for her.
To retrace her, also the narrator moves to this little village in the mountains and examins Olivias house, where she stayed alone most of the time.
Once the Nawab visited Harry in England, who was shocked by his new appearance. He had become quite fat and milder than he was.
The Nawab often stayed with his wife Sandy and the Begum left for New York, where the Nawab finally died in her arms.
Olivias letters to Marcia became more and more undetailed and finally she only wrote two or three times a year. Harry said that she and her sister were very much alike, but in the end Marcia drunk herself to death what definitely distinguishes her from Olivia. But she understood why Olivia had left Douglas and gone with the Nawab. Even he found no correspondances between Marcia and Olivia.
Finally the narrator moves to the town in the mountain were Olivia lived and is not to be expected to leave it that soon.