
A lively portrait unfolds as Mrs. Merriman prepares her home for a new venture—a modest boarding school for seven girls, each with distinct personalities and backgrounds. Lucy, her determined fifteen‑year‑old daughter, watches the arrival of the newcomers with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, while her mother’s boundless optimism promises a warm, orderly haven. The first day brims with introductions, nervous excitement, and the subtle clash between Lucy’s practical spirit and the genteel expectations of the household.
Through witty dialogue and vivid character sketches, the story captures the challenges of turning a family residence into a place of learning, especially when the headmistress must balance her own ambitions with the needs of her pupils. As the girls settle in, their differing temperaments hint at friendships, rivalries, and the inevitable growth that comes from sharing a roof and a common purpose. Listeners will be drawn into this charming, early‑twentieth‑century world where independence and education begin to reshape the lives of young women.
Language
en
Duration
~8 hours (496K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by D Alexander, Mark C. Orton, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2007-07-28
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1854–1914
Best known for lively girls’ school stories and a huge range of popular fiction, this Irish-born writer helped shape late Victorian and Edwardian reading for young audiences. She was remarkably prolific, writing adventure tales, mysteries, historical fiction, and stories that reached far beyond the schoolroom.
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