When an absurd case of a young woman’s kidnapping falls upon a poor family, what will one expect of a lawyer who has absolutely no interest in the case? Robert Blair, one of the main characters of The Franchise Affair by Josephine Trey, reluctantly agrees to investigate the case on Betty Kane, who claims to have been locked up and beaten in the Franchise house by the Sharpes. He also agrees to represent the defendant, Marion Sharpe, in court when charged. As the story progresses, Robert Blair's behavioral and emotional attitude towards the case gradually changes due to his determination to investigate the mystery, his love for Marion, and his exposure to different levels of social classes. 

Betty Kane’s absurd but surprisingly believable lies intrigues Robert and spurs him into disproving her stories and therefore helping relieve the Sharpes from being falsely accused and taken to jail. When the police first bring Betty Kane to Marion Sharpe’s house, Betty is able to retell the whole structure of the house to everyone, leaving Marion confused and in a state of “a complete denial of the girl’s story,” to the audience (40). Because the description of the house where the girl was kept in is completely accurate, the only way to flip the situation around is by discrediting Betty Kane’s story, which seems impossible when the Sharpes have zero evidence and witnesses except Marion herself. Because of Betty Kane’s airtight account, Robert says, “[the] one ambition of my life is to discredit Betty Kane” (147), showing his increasing interest and dedication to the case. When the Sharpes receive a piece of evidence about Betty Kane having a photographic memory, Robert immediately makes calls during midnight to his and Marion’s mother, which is something that he would never have done in the past where he would rarely tackle works during his personal time. Before encountering The Franchise Affair, Robert would come home from work and spend the rest of the evening enjoying time with his Aunt Lin and talk about the news and their daily encounters. However, as he began to throw himself into the investigation process and clearing up the case, Robert’s whole routine flexed around when and where the affair needed him. Changing his daily routines and spending his personal time on the case also displays the fact that his attitude towards the case greatly changed from the beginning. 

Attracted to Marion at first sight, Robert’s frame of mind and the way he interacts with others gradually changes consequently without his notice. When Robert first received the call from Marion, he did not want to have any relationship with these women from the “haunted” Franchise in Milford. Through discussions and investigations, Robert even feels relieved “remembering how nearly he had thrown her [Marion’s case] to Ben Carley” (48). However, after he is introduced to Marion in person, he finds himself blushing every time he walks out of the Franchise. His dedication to the case heightens further as a result, as he begins to use the investigation as an excuse to meet her more often in person and makes phone calls with her under the premise of updating her on the investigation. His constant trips to the Franchise speeds up Robert and his friend Nevil’s search for evidence, at last finding the witness that fills in the last part of the puzzle to discredit Betty Kane’s story. When the whole case is over, Robert, a man who previously showed no signs of wanting a wife, tells Marion, “I want you to marry me…because you are that one woman in a hundred thousand, and I love you” (295-296). His affection for Marion greatly suggests that she was one of the main factors that drove Robert’s dedication towards the case.  

Robert’s change of mind also results from being exposed to a new way of life and witnessing how people who are in a different social class live. Being born into a rich family where there was never anything he “ever wanted that he could not buy” and never lacked anything that “a man might be supposed to miss” (13), Robert was interested by his interaction with the Sharpes who were from a lower social class than he was. He is introduced to a new way of life where one dined in the drawing room, a strategy to be economic. The Sharpes does not have a dining room where there are tables set up just for eating and a tap with running hot water. When Robert came to know that the Sharpes did not even have a maid at home, his fascination with the case increased. Since Betty Kane was supposedly kidnapped to become the Sharpes’ maid, Robert is curious about how the family will survive after being charged by the court. This contributes to Robert’s interest in the case, driving him further in gathering more evidence to discredit Betty Kane’s story and save the Sharpes.  

In brief, through being involved in a case that seemed impossible to disprove, Robert’s attitude gradually changes from being unwilling to devoted. Several factors that drove this change include the challenge that Betty Kane’s credible lie presents, his growing love for Marion, and his experience with the lives of a different society. Hinted at only gradually through minute changes in Robert’s speech and actions, Josephine Trey does not fully reveal Robert’s ultimate shift in mindset until the very end, sparking the reader’s delight and interest.