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| “ | There is blood upon your ladyship’s throat. | „ |
| ~ Flora Van-Kemp |
Flora Van-Kemp, more commonly referred to as The Dutchwoman and similar names, is the main antagonist of Joseph Le Fanu’s A Chapter in the History of a Tyrone Family. Her appearances are commonly warned of by the waving or falling of a black curtain, handkerchief, or other cloth items.
After attempting to kill Fanny Richardson, she commonly stated that it was either Richardson or herself, saying that if she didn’t kill Richardson, her supposed husband, Lord Glenfallen, would have her hanged.
Biography[]
Before First Appearance[]
Before her first appearance, Flora Van-Kemp is still inferred to have caused a misfortune for the Glenfallens. Martha, a servant for the family, recalled finding Lady Jane, who is not mentioned apart from the incident, dead in bed.
This occurrence had happened seconds after Martha saw something dark waved in front of her. Later, when Fanny Richardson moved in, she saw a black piece of tapestry glide down in front of her.
Van-Kemp hadn’t been mentioned by name yet.
First Appearance[]
Over a month after the black tapestry was seen, Fanny Richardson had went to her room to change for a walk in the forest when she sighted Van-Kemp in her chambers. She was asked to leave by Richardson, though she declined and said it was hers and, mistaking Richardson for a maid, and told her to bring Lord Glenfallen.
Fanny Richardson told Van-Kemp that she was Lady Glenfallen, to which Van-Kemp had a large outburst. At that moment, Lord Glenfallen appeared. Richardson left the room where an altercation took place between Flora Van-Kemp and Lord Glenfallen.
After this incident, Lord Glenfallen started turning sour to other individuals, and not long after, had told Richardson that he was going to France, and offered to take her with him.
Second Appearance[]
That night, Richardson was woken by Flora Van-Kemp, who had been burning a lamp and shaking Richardson by the shoulder. She started alert the domestics, but Van-Kemp told her to not, and then asked if she’d actually married Lord Glenfallen. Fanny Richardson confirmed so.
Van-Kemp then told Richardson that she was actually Glenfallen’s wife, and then ordered Richardson to leave the castle the next day and to “…let the world know that your husband has another wife living...”. After saying this, she left the room, yet Richardson was sceptical. She also noticed in Van-Kemp’s face that she had an expression of unfiltered rage and anger. Richardson also started becoming afraid of leaving her bed in case she saw Flora Van-Kemp.
Before Third Appearance[]
Fanny Richardson’s talk with Lord Glenfallen[]
In the morning, Fanny Richardson met with Glenfallen to clear things up. She mentioned the sighting, to which Lord Glenfallen replied with rage, asking if she’d been where she was strictly prohibited from going. She then further explained what happened, including how Van-Kemp stated she’d been married.
After that statement, Glenfallen was overwhelmed and remained silent, trying to speak three times, each time failing. He then regained composure and monologued in which he said how Richardson shouldn’t have believed Van-Kemp. Sometime after, it is stated that he got revenge on Van-Kemp, and that there was violence beyond words.
Fanny Richardson’s talk with Martha[]
Later, Fanny Richardson was talking with Martha, who said that she heard Van-Kemp screaming, but asked Richardson not to tell Lord Glenfallen that she’d told her this. Importantly, Martha called Van-Kemp the ‘poor, blind, Dutchwoman’. While Richardson had known for a while that Van-Kemp was blind, she still didn’t know Flora Van-Kemp’s name, nor her nationality. Martha elaborated that Glenfallen commonly called her the ‘Dutch hag’, while also furthering this idea by the fact that Van-Kemp was likely neither English nor Irish, and that whenever she and Glenfallen spoke, they spoke in another language.
Martha also revealed that Van-Kemp had arrived after Richardson, but said no more.
Events on the Night of the Third Appearance before Van-Kemp[]
Later on, Richardson was anonymously threatened by Flora Van-Kemp, and later that night, she saw a black cloth once again. She told Martha but tried to shrug it off, but Martha pointed out that Van-Kemp had appeared the morning after the last sighting of the cloth. Richardson said that Van-Kemp wasn’t dangerous, but Martha then said that Van-Kemp hadn’t left yet.
Later that night, Richardson was awoken with the same threat as before, followed by loud laughter. Lord Glenfallen, oblivious to what had just occurred, entered the chambers and went to sleep on a sofa.
Third Appearance[]
Later that night, Richardson had been finding it hard to sleep. Around 3 o’clock in the morning, Flora Van-Kemp came out from behind a mirror through a door in the walls. She then stepped into the chambers. Only then did Richardson realise it was Flora Van-Kemp, who was still known along the lines of the Dutch Hag, or Blind Woman.
She put here head to the floor to see if she could hear anything, but, she couldn’t, so she went to Lord Glenfallen’s dressing table and supplied a razor. She then stooped back onto the ground to try and hear something. She then went to Glenfallen, who was still sleeping on the sofa.
By then, Richardson was expecting to see Glenfallen murdered, but Van-Kemp, instead of killing him, simply laid a hand on him, before reentering Richardson’s chambers. She then, once again, put her ear to the ground. She then approached Richardson, and with the free hand grabbed her hair. She then used the razor and tried to aim for the neck, grazing it, but ultimately missing.
Richardson started screeching, trying to wake up anyone who could help, before leaving her bed for the door, which was locked. Fanny Richardson finally decided to give up, hiding in a corner. Van-Kemp had approached Richardson when she was suddenly punched by Lord Glenfallen, knocking her out. At the same time, several servants rushed in. Richardson, meanwhile, fainted.
Trial[]
Committal[]
At about 2pm the next day, Van-Kemp was to be sent to jail for attempted murder. She was still in the clothing from the preceding night, though the clothing was in much more of a worse condition. She was only then found to be named as Flora Van-Kemp, revealed by Lord Glenfallen. Van-Kemp, after having the court hear this, started yelling at Glenfallen in a foreign language.
She then started to try and prove she was Glenfallen’s wife, and said that it was either Fanny Richardson or herself. Lord Glenfallen addressed the magistrate and told him to ignore Van-Kemp. She, once again, had a fit, before saying that Glenfallen told her to kill Richardson.
She was offered to be heard should she provide evidence, which she said was herself. When this was declined, she refused to speak. She was then sent to prison.
Trial[]
On the day of the trial, the courthouse was filled with many people due to interest in the matter. Meanwhile, Lord Glenfallen and Fanny Richardson appeared with all evidence needed.
Flora Van-Kemp immediately pleaded guilty to the crime, despite protests from the court. The sentence was passed, being death. Van-Kemp then started to speak, accusing Lord Glenfallen of having two wives, and also of being a conspirator in the attempt to kill Richardson. The court laughed it off as the speak of a delusional person.
Flora Van-Kemp then asked if they weren’t trying him and if he was to go free, which they said confirmed. They then ordered her to be killed, Before she was dragged off though, she raised her arms and screeched in despair and rage. She was executed not long later.