
Weston, a long‑serving house‑man in a respectable London family, finds himself caught in the middle of a bustling pre‑holiday debate. The Hillier household is preparing for a Channel crossing, with the sisters Muriel and Katherine squabbling over routes while Mrs. Hillier worries about the journey’s logistics. Their conversations reveal a mix of genteel anxiety, class differences, and the quirky charm of early‑1900s travel plans.
As the day of departure approaches, Weston must balance his own reluctance to sail with his duty to keep the peace, offering witty mediation and subtle insight into the family’s secrets. Through his eyes we glimpse the domestic rituals, the cramped railway carriages, and the hopeful optimism of a family on the brink of adventure. The story blends gentle humor with a vivid portrait of a world poised between tradition and the promise of a new season.
Language
en
Duration
~8 hours (482K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2020-06-18
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1859–1930
Known for warm humor and sharp observation, this English novelist wrote vividly about everyday London life, especially working-class and lower-middle-class characters. His fiction found a wide readership in the late Victorian and Edwardian years, with Mord Em'ly among his best-known successes.
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