“But she revealed the truth that, although he did indeed desire a magnificent house, it was a house not built with hands”

Bringing Margaret to Baldry Court for the first time stirs up lots of emotions in Jenny, the narrator, as she introduces her to their world and the life Chris has lived for the last fifteen years. This quote suggests that while Chris built an extravagant house for Kitty and Jenny, he did not build it with his hands; rather, it was his wealth that built Baldry Court. The “house not built with hands” could also be referring to how their lifestyle and family are not “made with love,” so to speak. This house, Baldry Court, was made to cater to Kitty’s vanities and desires. This house is a proclamation of Chris’s status to the world, and Kitty is the coordinator of it all. If it’s not a house “built with hands” that Chris desires, it could be interpreted that perhaps he desires a house made from love. Love creates a natural “home” between two people, which is reminiscent of what he had with Margaret. It could be interpreted that Chris is unhappy with the life and the house he built because it is a house that lacks love. It is ironic that it is Margaret that shines light on this truth to Jenny.