Sink or swim? : $b a novel; vol. 2/3

In this atmospheric Victorian tale, a stern yet charismatic Colonel Norcott finds himself tangled in a web of family secrets and disputed inheritances. When a grieving widow, Mrs. Bainbridge, confronts him about a mysterious legacy left to his name, the conversation quickly spirals into accusations, old grudges, and whispered rumors of a hidden child. The dialogue crackles with regional accents and biting wit, immersing listeners in a rural Irish‑English setting where honor and reputation hang in the balance.

As the Colonel probes the tangled lineage of the late Winny and her orphaned daughter, the narrative unfolds with a blend of sharp social observation and lingering melancholy. Listeners are drawn into the lives of the Bainbridge family, the enigmatic lawyer Fagin, and the shadowy past that threatens to surface. The first act sets the stage for a compelling clash of duty, love, and the lingering weight of ancestral curses, promising a journey where every revelation reshapes the characters’ fragile world.