Most of Honeycomb takes place during Miriam’s three-month trial as a governness for the Corries, a prosperous family living outside London. The final chapters deal with the wedding of her sister Harriet and Miriam’s trip to the seaside to help her mother try to recouperate.
In George Thomson’s chronology of Pilgrimage, the events in Honeycomb take place between March and July or August of 1895. But if the book aligns with the historical record, the final passage would be dated to December 1895.
Chapter 1. Miriam arrives in Newlands, a country house owned by Felix and Julia (“Rollo”) Corrie, to work as governness to their children. Mr. Corrie is a Queen’s Counsel, in England, a lawyer appointed counsel to the Queen. After settling in her room, she dines with the Corries and finds herself unfamiliar with certain dishes and conventions. She retires to her room and a housemaid brings her breakfast the next morning. Wiggerson, the parlour maid, apologies for how the fire in Miriam’s room has been set.
Chapter 2. Miriam has tea with the Corrie children — Sybil, age 12, and “Boy”, age 8. The Corries sing together. Miriam meets Joey Banks, a friend visiting the Corries, and then she chats with her at dinner.
Chapter 3. It has snowed overnight. The Corries are preparing for a dinner party the following evening. Their friend Mélie Staple-Craven arrives and Miriam joins the party, where the case of Jabez Balfour and his trial for the failure of hise Liberator [Building Society] is discussed. She discusses education with Mrs. Corrie. Later, she tried to read then writes a letter to her sister Eve and reflects on a walk she took with an actor, another one of the Corrie’s houseuests.
Chapter 4. It is now two weeks later. Miriam is frustrated with trying to teach Sybil and Boy. Another weekend party is coming up, with the Corrie’s friend Mr. Kronen and his new wife attending. Miriam takes a walk and encounters a yellow dog, whom she learns is a fighter named Bush. She fantasizes about being taken away by an old gentleman with a beautiful house, where she could be happy. She returns to Mrs. Corrie and the children playing on the lawn. Mrs. Corrie has a nosebleed. At the dinner party, the conversation centers on South Africa. The next morning, Miriam hears Mrs. Kronen singing. She thinks about how strong Mrs. Kronen is and how good but dumb Mrs. Corrie is. She receives a letter from Bob Greville, a widower and friend of Miriam’s parents.
Chapter 5. Miriam travels with Mrs. Corrie, who gossips about the Kronens, to go shopping, and wonders about wedding presents for her sisters Harriet and Sarah. She is awed but frustrated by the experience of shopping with Mrs. Corrie. They stop at Mrs. Kronen’s for tea. Mrs. Corrie lets her go off alone for a walk before their return train.
Chapter 6. Miriam’s sensations of walking in the West End. Back at the Corrie’s, she writes to Bob Greville.
Chapter 7. Another letter from Bob Greville, suggesting they meet. Mrs. Corrie has Miriam travel to London to return the hats she had bought. She meets Greville for tea.
Chapter 8. It is now May. Miriam recalls events from the previous month, including Mrs. Corrie’s fascination with the Oscar Wilde scandal, a visit by Jin Tower, another of the Corrie’s friends, and a letter to Eve.
Chapter 9. Another dinner party. Mrs. Corrie begs Miriam to attend, though she resists. Miriam watches a game of billiards. She discusses smoking with Mrs. Corrie. She observes the guests during lunch the next day, sits with Mrs. Corrie in the garden, then goes to ask Mr. Corrie to come out from his study. She admires his room. At dinner on Sunday evening, the guests discuss another scandal.
Chapter 10. Miriam returns to the Henderson home the day before Harriet’s wedding. The family visits Harriet’s new home and Miriam meets Mr. Tremayne and Mr. Gove. Back home, she worries about wedding arrangements and reflects on religion and love. Scenes from Harriet and Gerald’s wedding. She plays some music for her mother, who then confides that she feels her life has been useless. Her depression and anxiety unsettles Miriam. She travels into London to visit Bob Greville and frets over her mother’s illness. At Bob’s she resists his approach.
Chapter 11. Miriam and her mother at the seaside in Hastings. They listen to a band, walk along the boardwalk and pier, see a show and have tea back in their boarding house. The next day, Miriam treats her mother with some medication (“acid”), then watches a girl in rooms above a pawnbroker’s shop. She dreams of being back in school in Putney. The next night is troubled and Miriam awakens early. She and her mother visit a homeopathist. Her mother confides, “God has deserted me.” Miriam is comforted by an old woman [Though Richardson never addresses this directly, we can assume that Mrs. Henderson has taken her life, as Richardson’s own mother did in December 1895.]