
In a strikingly darkened bedroom of a sprawling North‑Wales cottage, Nadine has turned the former smoking‑room into a glittering sanctuary where friends gather under a four‑poster mahogany bed. Draped in a silk gown that shimmers like “intoxicated rainbows,” she welcomes a lively trio—Esther, sipping and spilling camomile, and the ever‑curious Bertie—while the room’s black walls make every guest’s colors pop like gems.
Their evening conversation drifts between witty banter and the eccentric family lore of “Aunt Dodo,” a matriarch whose tangled romances and multiple hearts have become the talk of the clan. Nadine, ever precise, muses on heredity and the mysterious “Jack Chesterford” who is set to arrive, hinting at secrets that could unsettle the comfortable rhythm of their night. The stage is set for a charmingly chaotic exploration of love, legacy, and the quirks that bind this unconventional family together.
Language
en
Duration
~9 hours (545K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Annie R. McGuire. This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Internet Archive.
Release date
2012-09-14
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1867–1940
Best known for the deliciously funny Mapp and Lucia novels, this English writer mixed sharp social comedy with ghost stories, memoir, and a remarkably varied literary career. His books still charm readers with their wit, atmosphere, and close observation of small-town rivalry and human vanity.
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