Asphodel : a novel

In the sweltering heat of a midsummer day, a bright‑spirited Daphne lies stretched on a moss‑covered stone, soaking up the relentless sun over the sprawling forest of Fontaineau. The landscape, a patchwork of granite boulders, pine‑scented air and distant vineyards, feels like a sanctuary far removed from the cramped, disciplined corridors of Asnières. With her golden hair catching the light, she revels in the freedom the forest offers, contrasting sharply with the expectations of her school and the rigid French society she is meant to join.

Alongside her, the earnest Martha Dibb and the unassuming Miss Toby provide a grounding counterpoint, their modest lives and quiet habits a foil to Daphne’s flamboyant defiance. Their banter about scarlet‑fever, greasy school meals and the promise of “peace‑offering” acid drops hints at a bond forged in rebellion, and suggests that the summer’s carefree wanderings may soon usher in consequences that will test the limits of their newfound liberty.