Hermia Suydam

When Crosby Suydam dies penniless, his widow and their two young daughters are thrust into the austere world of the old Suydam mansion on Second Avenue. There they confront John Suydam, the frail, pride‑laden uncle who offers shelter only if they manage their own rooms and live on a meager allowance. The household is a study in quiet desperation: silent meals, a house that seems to echo with the clatter of an absent heart, and a widow whose only wish is to fade away.

Against this bleak backdrop, the girls—Bessie, already sixteen, and little Hermia—find unexpected strength. Bessie assumes the role of mother, her common‑sense honed by hardship, while Hermia’s curiosity hints at a resilience that may reshape the family’s future. As a distant, impoverished cousin arrives seeking aid, the fragile balance of the Suydam home teeters, promising new tensions and choices for the sisters to navigate.