Antoinette Cosway resides at Coulibri Estate in 1830s Jamaica. The estate is situated near Spanish Town, which serves as the capital during this period. In the household, Antoinette lives with her mother, Annette, her younger brother Pierre, and their nurse, Christophine. The family's patriarch, Old Man Cosway, who used to own a plantation, has passed away. Although Old Man Cosway fathered children with enslaved black women on the island, Antoinette has been taught not to recognize her half-black siblings. Despite her mixed heritage, Antoinette identifies as white.
The estate of Coulibri appears untamed and overrun by vegetation, especially since the British Emancipation Act has led to the emancipation of enslaved black individuals. Most of the black servants decide to leave the Cosway family, but Christophine chooses to remain. Another individual who stays is Godfrey, an elderly man who Annette dislikes, believing him to feign deafness. A young boy named Sass also stays temporarily due to his mother's abandonment but eventually departs as well.
The abolition of slavery has significantly impacted the financial well-being of the Cosway family. They are now faced with economic difficulties, becoming the targets of mockery by the island's black population. In a place where white individuals are greatly outnumbered, the Cosways are taunted by the black community, who derogatorily refer to them as "white [cockroaches]" and tell them to leave. Despite their own struggles, some wealthy English immigrants arrive on the island, seeking to take advantage of the depressed Jamaican economy.
Antoinette, a young girl, forms a friendship with another girl named Tia. Tia's mother, Maillotte, is a friend of Christophine, a person known to Antoinette. Every morning, Antoinette and Tia meet at a specific spot on their way to the river. They undress and go swimming in a bathing pool nearby.
During one of their swimming sessions, Tia challenges Antoinette to do a somersault underwater and bets her three pennies. Antoinette accepts the challenge and successfully performs the somersault. However, she ends up choking on water in the process. Tia takes advantage of the situation, claiming that Antoinette did not do a good job and takes the pennies for herself. In response, Antoinette calls Tia a "cheating nigger" and dismisses her and the pennies, stating that she can get more if she wants to. Tia, in turn, reminds Antoinette that she is now poor, unlike the white people whohave arrived in Jamaica with "gold money." Tia refers to Antoinette and her family as "white niggers" and asserts that they are beneath black people. Tia leaves, taking Antoinette's clean and ironed dress with her. As a result, Antoinette is forced to wear Tia's dress home, much to the disgust of her mother, Annette.
Back at home, Antoinette spends most of her time with Christophine, who sings songs filled with longing and lament, even though the melodies are cheerful. Annette, on the other hand, starts talking to herself aloud. Eventually, Annette marries a man with the surname Mason, who is among the white people who have recently arrived in Jamaica from England. After his arrival, the conditions on Coulibri Estate, where Antoinette and her family live, improve significantly. The estate becomes much cleaner, there are new servants, and Sass, presumably one of the servants, returns to work.
Mason, a man who recently arrived in Jamaica from England, has strict beliefs about the divisions between the slaves and their masters. He commonly uses derogatory terms such as "nigger" or "negro" when referring to black servants. However, Annette, Antoinette's mother, holds a different perspective. She does not approve of Mason using such language and shows respect towards black people.
Despite her respect, Annette expresses concerns about the safety of their current residence, Coulibri Estate, particularly for her son, Pierre. Pierre has both mental and physical disabilities, including speech impediments and a tendency to stagger while walking.
One day, an incident occurs at the Cosway-Mason house. Someone sets fire to the back of the house, where Pierre sleeps in his crib. At that time, Pierre's nurse, Myra, had left him alone. This shocking event triggers Annette's anger, which she directs toward Mason. The fire engulfs the entire house, forcing Annette, Mason, Antoinette, and Antoinette's Aunt Cora, who is visiting, to evacuate.
During the chaotic escape, Christophine, a woman known to Antoinette, carries Pierre to safety. Mason prevents Annette from going back inside to save her parrot. As they flee, a group of black people gathers around the white family and chases them away from Coulibri Estate. In the midst of it all, Antoinette notices Tia among the crowd. Suddenly, Tia throws a sharp rock at Antoinette, causing both girls to cry simultaneously.
The family manages to reach their carriage and leave the estate. Unfortunately, Pierre has sustained severe burns in the fire and dies not long after their departure.
Afterthe tragic death of Pierre, Annette, grief-stricken, decides to retreat to the countryside. As time passes, she becomes increasingly unstable mentally. Meanwhile, Antoinette remains in the care of Aunt Cora, who helps her recover from an illness and tends to the wound on her forehead caused by Tia's thrown rock.
One day, Antoinette accompanies Christophine to visit her mother at a small and neat house. Inside the room are two black servants, and there is also an unknown white woman whose face remains hidden as she bows deeply. Antoinette notices that Annette's hair has been braided, although one of the plaits is noticeably shorter than the other. When Antoinette approaches to embrace her mother, Annette pushes her away, saying "No" first softly and then in a loud voice. Feeling hurt, Antoinette leaves the house with Christophine without further discussion. They return to Aunt Cora's house, both choosing to remain silent about the unsettling encounter they just experienced.
Aunt Cora decides to enroll Antoinette at a convent school. Initially, Antoinette is hesitant to go to school without Aunt Cora, and the latter becomes impatient with her clinginess. Eventually, Antoinette starts going to school on her own. One day, while walking, she encounters a pair of bullies. The first bully is a light-skinned black boy with red hair, freckles, and lifeless eyes. Accompanying him is a very dark-skinned girl with greased, braided hair. The strong scent of the girl's hair oil nauseates Antoinette. The bullies mock Antoinette about her mentally-ill mother, claiming that she has "eyes like a zombie." They taunt her for being crazy like her mother, suggesting that's why Aunt Cora is sending her to the convent. They follow Antoinette to the convent gate, where the girl knocks her books to the ground. A tall older boy named Sandi, the son of Old Man Cosway's illegitimate son Alexander Cosway, comes
over to help Antoinette pick up her books. The bullies run away at his approach.
Antoinette rings the convent bell and is let in by two black nuns. Overwhelmed, she begins to cry. A third nun with large brown eyes comforts her. Antoinette confesses that she dislikes walking to the convent alone. The nun assures her that she will write to Aunt Cora about this. The nun calls for Louise, a 15-year-old girl, to guide Antoinette to Mother St. Justine, also known as "Mother Juice of a Lime" due to her lackof intelligence. Although Louise is compassionate toward the nun, she cross-stitches roses into a patchwork while Mother Justine narrates stories of female saints, focusing on St. Agnes.
Meanwhile, Christophine has moved to Spanish Town to live with her son, and Mason is frequently absent. Aunt Cora travels to England for her health. When Mason visits Antoinette at the age of 17, he notices her growth in height. He invites her to live with him, Aunt Cora, and her stepbrother, Richard. He insists that she leave the convent, where she currently resides. Mason plans to have friends from England stay with them in the coming winter, ensuring Antoinette won't be bored.
One night, Antoinette dreams of being back at Coulibri Estate. She wears a white dress and follows a strange man who beckons her to follow him. Despite her fear, she obeys him, and he leads her through the estate's garden. The dream feels like an eternity, and when she wakes up, she's frightened. Sister Marie Augustine comes to comfort her, encouraging her to think of calm and peaceful things. The sister assures Antoinette that morning will arrive soon.
The husband and Antoinette are on their honeymoon in Massacre, a village north of Roseau, Dominica. They ride horses up a mountain to reach Granbois, a small estate that belonged to Antoinette's family. The husband finds the landscape lush and colorful, but also lurid. Antoinette drinks water from a bamboo spout at a river that marks the boundary of Granbois and invites the husband to do the same.
Upon arriving at a shabby white house on the estate with a coarse-grained lawn, Antoinette reveals that they have reached Granbois. She introduces the husband to the servants, including Amélie and
Christophine. The husband suspects that Christophine disapproves of him.
Inside the house, they drink rum punch and toast to their happiness. The husband notices two wreaths of frangipani flowers on the bed. He jokingly tries one on and drops it to the floor, accidentally stepping on it. Later, he writes a letter to his father in England, describing their arrival at Granbois, Antoinette's attachment to the estate, and recent events.
Antoinette joins her husband in the pools during the late afternoon. She throws a stone at amonster crab, impressing the husband with her throw. She mentions that Sandi, a boy the husband doesn't know, taught her how to throw. They watch the sunset from a structure Antoinette calls an ajoupa, which the husband calls the summer house. Antoinette reveals there are four hermits on the island. She expresses her unconditional love for the island and questions whether the rest of the world is more beautiful, to which the husband responds that it's just "different."
In their daily life, the husband observes Antoinette's interactions with the black servants, noting her nonchalant handling of money. He notices the servants giving them strange looks. Antoinette trusts the servants, but the husband does not.
During the day, Antoinette looks at herself in the mirror, hugs Christophine, and teaches her husband Creole songs. At night, she opens up about wanting to die before meeting him, asks why he married her, and admits that happiness frightens her.
The couple spends their days making love, and the husband tries to befriend the islanders. They discuss England, but Antoinette strongly dislikes a country she's never seen.
One day, Daniel Cosway sends the husband a letter, sharing the dark history of the Cosway family and suggesting that Antoinette is hiding her family's madness. He claims Antoinette has bewitched her husband with her beauty.
After reading the letter, the husband finds Antoinette in bed and summons Christophine. Amélie, a servant, informs them that Christophine is leaving and mocks Antoinette. A heated argument ensues, during which Antoinette slaps Amélie. Christophine enters, confirming her departure and criticizing the servant's attitude.
Antoinette sends the husband out while she dresses. He waits for her
but eventually eats and drinks rum punch. Checking on her, he finds her asleep. He goes for a walk, gets lost, and is rescued by Baptiste, a servant. Upon his return, he finds Antoinette's room locked and dark. He drinks rum and reads about zombies.
Antoinette's narrative takes over. She visits Christophine, confessing her husband's distant behavior and the servants' knowledge that he sleeps separately. She considers asking for money to visit a cousin, then contemplates going to England to reinvent herself. Christophine warns her that her husband is influenced by stories about her family and can't trust anyone. Antoinette mentions Aunt Cora, but Christophine reminds her of her age and illness.
Aunt Cora's disagreement with Richard Mason over Antoinette's engagement is briefly mentioned. She resented Richard's lack of legal protection for Antoinette andgave her valuable rings to hide from her husband.
Back at Christophine's house, Christophine gives Antoinette a wrapped object and promises to visit her soon.
Reflecting on his wedding to Antoinette, the husband admits to himself that he doesn't love her. He recalls how Richard Mason came to his room the morning before the wedding, frantic because Antoinette was reconsidering. The husband spoke to her, and they made a deal to trust each other.
Antoinette and the husband have a meal in a brightly-lit dining room. He admires her dress and the highlights in her hair. Antoinette wonders if London feels real, and the husband has the same thought about Dominica.
Antoinette recalls spending summers at Granbois with Aunt Cora. She describes a night when she woke to see rats staring at her, and she fell back asleep. She mentions a hammock on the veranda that she used. Christophine warned her about sleeping in the moon's glare, believing it could cause madness.
The next morning, Christophine brings them coffee and food. She offers the husband her coffee, which she calls "bull's blood." The husband dislikes her language and mannerisms. Antoinette explains the cultural significance of Christophine's actions. Antoinette decides to stay in bed, suggesting that the husband explore the estate's pools while watching out for red ants.
The husband receives another letter from Daniel and decides to send for Amélie, Antoinette's servant, to ask her to tell Daniel to stop writing to him. The husband is curious about why Daniel keeps sending these letters, but Amélie doesn't have the answers. He then asks Amélie if Daniel's surname is Cosway, and she confirms that Daniel calls himself by that name and lives a more comfortable life than other black people.
Curious to know more, the husband visits Daniel to have a conversation with him. Daniel reveals that his true name is Esau and shares the story of his birth. He explains how he was rejected and disinherited by his father, who favored Daniel's brother, Alexander. Daniel mentions that Sandi, Antoinette's cousin, is actually Alexander's son. He then begins teasing the husband, insinuating that there might be a romantic connection between Antoinette and Sandi. To top it off, Daniel demands 500 pounds from the husband to keep the secrets of the Cosway family, reminding him that he is Antoinette's brother.
Leaving Daniel's place, the husband quickly retrieves his horse and rides away as fast as he can. When he returnsto his wife, Antoinette confronts him, asking why he despises her. The husband notices the strong resemblance between Antoinette and Amélie and wonders if they are somehow related. He thinks that such a "damned place" makes it probable. Overwhelmed by all the revelations, he questions Antoinette about her past and her family. He is particularly confused about why she told him that her mother died when, in reality, Annette had recently passed away. Antoinette explains that her mother's descent into madness was like a form of death.
Finally, the husband opens up to Antoinette about the letter he received from Daniel and shares the details of their conversation.
Antoinette continues her narrative, describing how her mother, Annette, developed a deep hatred for Mr. Mason, her husband. She refused to let him touch her and even threatened to kill him. As a result, Mr. Mason arranged for her to live in a cottage in the countryside and hired caretakers to ensure she was taken care of.
During this time, Mr. Mason spent most of his days in Trinidad, leaving Annette to live in her own mind. She became fixated on her past life, reminiscing about the days when they lived at Coulibri Estate, which she describes as the most beautiful place on Earth. Antoinette recalls her own childhood, admitting that she was generally happy in the house during the day, but at night, she felt a haunting presence that made her
uneasy.
Annette, not entirely satisfied with some of Antoinette's behavior, expressed her disapproval by telling her daughter that she was growing up "like a white nigger." This statement reflects both Annette's frustration and her complicated feelings about race and identity.
As the narrative progresses, Antoinette reveals her belief that the incident involving Tia throwing a rock at her face spoiled not just her wedding day but "all the other days and nights" as well. The husband tries to reassure her and disagree with her self-assessment, but she doesn't listen to him and continues her story.
In the midst of all this, Annette's hatred for Mr. Mason grows, and she becomes increasingly detached from reality. It is clear that her past, particularly the loss of Coulibri Estate and the subsequent poverty that followed, greatly affected her mental state. Annette becomes paranoid, suspecting that visitors to their home are silently mocking her and her family with their "cool, teasing eyes."
Antoinette's confession about her mother's deterioration and her ownstruggles with self-esteem provide further insight into the complex dynamics of their family. The full truth about Annette's life story is gradually unfolding, inviting the reader to delve deeper into the characters' psyche and unravel the mysteries surrounding their lives.
Antoinette reveals that she recently visited Christophine, who advised her to leave the husband. He tries to embrace her, but she pulls away. He suggests she rest and asks if he'll come to her room to say goodnight. She requests that he call her Bertha for the night and laments the ghosts disturbing them, questioning if they'll ever find happiness.
Later that night, the husband wakes feeling sick, suspecting poison(unaware of Christophine's spell). He goes to Antoinette's room and gazes at her, implying a sexual encounter while she sleeps. Afterward, he sees Hilda sweeping and signals her to be quiet. He leaves and falls asleep under the orange tree.
Returning to the house, Amélie serves him a meal. He's drawn to her gaiety and contrasts it with Antoinette's anxiety. He has sex with Amélie but regrets it in the morning, becoming overly aware of her African features.
Amélie shares her plans to leave for Demerara and Rio, feeling sorry
for both the husband and Antoinette. As Amélie leaves, the husband listens for sounds of Antoinette's departure.
He's awakened by Baptiste, who brings coffee and reassures him. The husband previously wrote to Mr. Fraser, implying interest in writing about black magic to learn more about Christophine. Fraser warns him to watch Christophine closely.
Antoinette calls for Baptiste and Christophine, looking distraught. They find her in a disheveled state, speaking softly and drinking rum. The husband warns her not to drink more, but she accuses him of favoring light-skinned girls and mistreating white planters. The husband defends his actions as a matter of justice, but Antoinette mentions her mother's suffering and talks of her rambling about dead horses and a black devil kissing her mouth.
Antoinette confronts the husband about sleeping with Amélie in the house, accusing him of ruining Granbois for her. She grabs the rum bottle, he tries to take it, and she bites his arm. The bottle falls and breaks, leading to Antoinette threatening him with the glass. Christophine intervenes, calming Antoinette and getting her to sleep. The husband goes to the veranda to bandage his arm and later returns to their rum-scented bedroom.
The husband questions Christophine about what Antoinette said to her. She accuses himof marrying for money and wanting to break Antoinette. Christophine reveals she gave Antoinette something to make her rest until the husband loves her as before, warning of disastrous consequences if he doesn't. She advises him to leave the West Indies and return half of Antoinette's dowry. The husband threatens Christophine, claiming he has connections to report her "nonsense."
Christophine leaves, emphasizing that she only gave Antoinette a sleeping potion. The husband writes letters to his father and lawyers in Spanish Town, arranging for a furnished house away from town, preparing to leave Dominica.
As they depart, the husband reflects on Antoinette's silent demeanor. He recalls her songs about nature and rain and confesses his terrible mistake in marrying her. He admits to their mutual hatred but refuses to give her even the passion of hatred, instead opting for coldness.
A boy near Baptiste sobs, and the husband questions Baptiste. Antoinette explains that she promised the boy he could go with them
when they left Granbois. The husband is angered by her presumption and dismisses the boy's English proficiency. Antoinette apologizes, explaining the boy's desire to be close to the husband. The husband bids farewell to Baptiste, sensing mutual relief in their departure from the island.
Antoinette narrates her current life in England, living in a sparsely furnished room with no mirror. She is under the care of a woman named Grace Poole, who sleeps in the same room. Antoinette dreams of escaping her room, taking Grace's keys, and exploring the outside world. In one dream, she envisions the walls of the house as cardboard and doubts that she is truly in England.
One day, Antoinette sees a girl in a white dress leaving her bedroom. Grace informs her that it was her brother Richard who visited. Antoinette denies having a brother and learns that she attacked him with a knife. Grace reveals Richard won't return. Antoinette recalls buying the knife from a woman by exchanging her locket during an outing with Grace by the water.
Antoinette asks Grace about her red dress, believing Richard would have recognized her in it. Grace expresses pity and hints that Antoinette might not know how long she has been in England. Antoinette touches the red dress hanging in the press, triggering memories of scents and moments from the past. She remembers wearing the dress when she saw Sandi, a man from her past, for the last time. Hehad asked her to go away with him, but she refused, and they parted ways.
Her husband later discovered Sandi's visit and insulted Antoinette. The red dress reminds her of an unfinished task she can't recall. One night, Antoinette dreams of leaving her room, lighting candles throughout the house, and encountering a ghostly woman. The dream turns into a chaotic scene of fire and memories of the West Indies. Grace wakes her, ending the dream.
When Grace falls asleep, Antoinette takes her keys and a candle, venturing along the dark hallway.