
In a cramped drawing‑room of a respectable British household, General Boldero confronts his daughter over a marriage that has turned sour. A promising match with a wealthy suitor has evaporated, leaving Leonore without the expected settlement and her father furious at being outwitted. As the family grapples with the sudden loss of a promised fortune, old pride and bitter resentment surface, threatening to tear the household apart.
Against this backdrop of financial panic, the story follows Leonore’s struggle to navigate a world where honor, obligation, and love collide. The sharp dialogue and wry observations reveal the absurdities of Victorian social climbing while hinting at deeper secrets hidden in a black‑edged letter. Listeners will be drawn into a tense, character‑driven drama that balances humor with the anxiety of a household on the brink of ruin.
Language
en
Duration
~6 hours (388K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Barbara Tozier, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2010-04-10
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1845–1915
A popular Victorian and Edwardian novelist, this Scottish-born writer was known for sharp, readable stories about family life, society, and everyday relationships. She published widely over several decades and also left behind a lively memoir of the literary world she knew.
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