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Quiz about Scent of Cloves
Quiz about Scent of Cloves

Scent of Cloves Trivia Quiz


This Norah Lofts novel takes us to the 17th-century Dutch East Indies, for a tale of love, intrigue, and spices!

A multiple-choice quiz by agony. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
agony
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
176,775
Updated
Jul 23 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
255
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. Our English heroine, Julia Ashley, is left an orphan in Ireland. What happened to her parents? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Eight years later, a Dutch sea captain, Johannes Belderdik, finds the starving Julia while on a mysterious trip to Ireland. He is taken with the little girl, and brings her home. What is his wife's reaction? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. At the age of twelve, Julia is on the move again, this time to where? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. At the age of fifteen, Julia becomes the wife of a nutmeg planter in the East Indies. These marriages-by-proxy are known as _________ marriages. Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Finally the "Trade's Advance" sails into Banda harbour, and Julia and her friend Marie will see their husbands for the first time. Marie's husband, Hendrick, is the assistant to the Company's agent, and takes a moment from his duties to meet her. Who meets Julia aboard the ship? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Pieter, Julia's husband, is mentally handicapped, a fact which Mynheer Vosmar has managed to keep secret all these years. What does he think caused Pieter's affliction? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. While walking through the nutmeg groves one day, Julia comes upon something which horrifies her. What is it? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Julia is rescued from a desperate situation by a young Englishman, Charles. Who is he? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Nicolas Vanderplasse comes to visit Rua. Who is he? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Who kills Mynheer? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Our English heroine, Julia Ashley, is left an orphan in Ireland. What happened to her parents?

Answer: They were killed by Cromwell

With Cromwell's army not an hour away, Julia's father lets down the drawbridge to allow Maire, a servingwoman, to lead the frightened local people to safety in some nearby caves. The drawbridge breaks, giving easy passage to the Puritans. Julia, however, is saved, "for Maire's confidence in the caves of Cloonmagh as a hiding place had given her courage enough to carry Little Miss away with her."
2. Eight years later, a Dutch sea captain, Johannes Belderdik, finds the starving Julia while on a mysterious trip to Ireland. He is taken with the little girl, and brings her home. What is his wife's reaction?

Answer: she secretly hates her

Geertruida Belderdik is certain that Julia is Johannes' child by some other woman, and she hates and resents her, while taking care that Johannes does not know. "...the long years of hiding her true feelings, hiding even her real nature, came to her aid...opposition at this stage would be unwise; give way but be watchful and when the slightest excuse offers itself, edge her out."
3. At the age of twelve, Julia is on the move again, this time to where?

Answer: The Klopstock Home

When Johannes is killed in an accident while on a voyage, Geertruida wastes no time in packing Julia off to the "Christian Benevolent Orphanage for Girls, more familiarly known as the Klopstock Home." Julia spends a few very unhappy years here, until she becomes a "Company's Daughter". Here, girls are trained to become the wives of nutmeg planters in the East Indies.
4. At the age of fifteen, Julia becomes the wife of a nutmeg planter in the East Indies. These marriages-by-proxy are known as _________ marriages.

Answer: glove

"It was a glove of yellow silk with pearls sewn in a pattern on its gauntlet. 'Isn't that pretty? Well, take it, dear. It's for you. Your husband is named Pieter Vosmar and he is twenty-two...'" So Julia sets sail for the island of Rua, married to a man she has never seen.
5. Finally the "Trade's Advance" sails into Banda harbour, and Julia and her friend Marie will see their husbands for the first time. Marie's husband, Hendrick, is the assistant to the Company's agent, and takes a moment from his duties to meet her. Who meets Julia aboard the ship?

Answer: Pieter's father, Simon Vosmar

"The small man in grey had gained the deck, looked sharply this way and that and now came towards them, and whereas Hendrick had had to push his way through, everybody stepped back to allow this man free passage."
6. Pieter, Julia's husband, is mentally handicapped, a fact which Mynheer Vosmar has managed to keep secret all these years. What does he think caused Pieter's affliction?

Answer: an accidental fall

"'I will not have him called that! Idiots are born, not made. Pieter was like anybody else until that pig of a woman let him fall.'" Dr Hootman, Pieter's caretaker, does not agree. He believes that Pieter was born with his condition, and if the marriage is consummated, "'...you'll have an idiot grandchild on your hands.'" From the description given of Pieter, and from his behaviour, it seems likely that he has Down's Syndrome.
7. While walking through the nutmeg groves one day, Julia comes upon something which horrifies her. What is it?

Answer: a starving woman in a cage

She had been Pieter's nurse when he was a child. During the month of Ramadan, she left the child for a moment, after a day of fasting, to get a drink of water. That was when he fell, and, so Mynheer thinks, caused his mental affliction. "'So, since Ramadan meant so much to her, more than her duty or my child's well-being, I decreed that she should keep it for the rest of her life.'"
8. Julia is rescued from a desperate situation by a young Englishman, Charles. Who is he?

Answer: a smuggler

Julia had been bringing food and water to the caged woman, Psyche. On this day, she allowed the woman to get hold of the water bottle. Psyche immediately broke the bottle, and, with a sharp piece of glass, cut her own throat. Julia was covered with blood, and aware that there was no way that she could hide what had happened from Mynheer, who would be furious that his long revenge had been terminated. Charles happened along just at this point, and cheerfully assured Julia that he would take responsibility for Psyche having access to a bottle. So simply, the flame of love is lit. Later in the book, we find that Charles has been smuggling cloves (which Mynheer has been growing illegally) off the island for Mynheer, and, unknown to Mynheer, smuggling unlimed (still fertile) nutmegs in cahoots with Dr Hootman.
9. Nicolas Vanderplasse comes to visit Rua. Who is he?

Answer: a young kinsman of Mynheer's

The arrival of Nicolas is another step in Mynheer's grand scheme. He plans that Nicolas should impregnate Julia (with her consent if possible, if not, no matter). To the eyes of the world, it would seem that the odd, reclusive Pieter Vosmar was living a more or less normal life, begetting children, and running the estate with the help of his kinsman, Nicolas.

In reality, Nicolas would be in charge of the plantation, and living with Julia, secretly, as her husband. Any child would be born with the family features, and be accepted by society, and, more importantly, by the Company, as Pieter's son.

A fine scheme, ruined by Julia's love for Charles, and Nicolas' inherent decency.
10. Who kills Mynheer?

Answer: Pieter

When Mynheer resorts to violence to show Julia that she has no choice but to fall in with his plan, Pieter's protective instincts rise up. "Bellowing he put his hands around Mynheer's throat and began to shake him...'Bad,! Bad! Hurt Julie! Bad!' said Pieter, at each word lifting Mynheer a little way from the floor and then smashing him down again." The book ends as all good romances do, with the lovers united, the enemies defeated, and even Pieter secure and happy.
Source: Author agony

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