Sarita, the Carlist

A bustling English household wrestles with the age‑old dilemma of marrying for money versus affection. The Glisfoyle family, modest in title but eager for fortune, sets its sights on a young American widow whose beauty and wit turn every scheme on its head. While the elder brother, Lascelles, plots to secure her wealth, the widow’s keen perception thwarts his every advance, sparking witty banter and a clash of ambitions.

Caught in the cross‑currents of family expectations, Ferdinand finds himself labeled the “victim of a woman’s preference.” Instead of a comfortable match, his father thrusts him into a diplomatic post as a probationary attaché at the Madrid embassy, a move that promises new horizons and fresh complications. As alliances shift and personalities collide, the early chapters set the stage for a lively tale of social maneuvering, personal pride, and the unpredictable pull of desire.