
Margaret Kirby, a strikingly beautiful socialite, spends her evenings drifting between the glitter of high society and the cold reality of a marriage that has long lost its spark. As she watches a young couple argue over a modest dinner, she reflects on her own seven‑year union with John, a partnership that feels more a public performance than a private companionship. The narrative follows her sharp, often cynical observations as she confronts the possibility that even the most enviable marriages can unravel.
Through witty dialogue and vivid scenes of winter‑twilight drives, the story explores the pressures of wealth, reputation, and the expectations placed on a woman of Margaret’s standing. With a mix of humor and melancholy, she questions whether happiness is a choice or a mirage, and whether divorce might offer a strange kind of freedom. Listeners are invited into Margaret’s world, where society’s glitter masks deeper doubts and the road ahead remains uncertain.
Language
en
Duration
~9 hours (572K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Steve Harris, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines.
Release date
2003-08-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1880–1966
A bestselling American novelist of the early 20th century, she wrote popular stories about family life, marriage, and social expectations. Her books reached a huge readership and helped make her one of the most widely read women writers of her era.
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