My Lady's Money

An elderly widowed lady sits alone by her fire, sifting through a trio of terse letters from a distant cousin who once promised artistic patronage. The missives reveal a struggling portrait‑painter’s desperate plea for help, his wife’s illness, and a looming bankruptcy that could reach even the genteel household. As she weighs the moral weight of the correspondence, the practical concerns of her own dwindling finances and a beloved, ailing dog begin to dominate her thoughts.

Meanwhile, her adopted daughter Isabel, a bright and curious young woman, moves through the same household, crossing paths with a cast of characters—steward, lawyer, and acquaintances from fashionable society. Their interactions hint at hidden debts, familial obligations, and the subtle power struggles that arise when charity and pride collide. Listeners are drawn into a delicate portrait of Victorian life, where personal generosity and financial prudence intertwine, setting the stage for choices that could alter everyone’s future.