
Sir Peter Chillingly finds his usually composed demeanor shattered by a sudden, impassioned letter from his son, Kenelm. The missive arrives at a genteel breakfast, its raw emotions stirring unease among the household, especially as Lady Chillingly remains oblivious while Cecilia and Gordon sense the undercurrents. As Sir Peter retreats to his library, he wrestles with the clash between paternal duty and the yearning for his son’s happiness, the weight of generations of family expectations pressing heavily on his heart.
Meanwhile, the estate’s everyday concerns—failing tenants, political whispers in the newspaper, and the quiet support of trusted friends—provide a backdrop to the personal drama unfolding. Cecilia’s gentle presence offers a fragile solace, while the looming tension between father and son hints at deeper choices yet to be faced. Listeners are drawn into a world of aristocratic propriety, heartfelt letters, and the quiet storm that brews when love and responsibility collide.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (144K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2005-03-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1803–1873
Best remembered for vivid historical and supernatural fiction, this prolific Victorian writer also left a surprising mark on everyday language with phrases that people still quote today. His stories mix drama, mystery, politics, and the occult in a way that helped shape popular fiction in the 19th century.
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