
Viviette returns to the manor where she was raised, a striking young woman with an effortless charm that both amuses and unsettles those around her. Though only twenty‑one, she carries the confidence of a girl who has spent years abroad, and her playful banter with the household’s older women hints at a deeper yearning for freedom. The brothers she grew up with—Dick, steady and devoted, and Austin, the more distant aristocrat—still orbit her world, each representing a different path.
Bound by an eleven‑year engagement to Dick, Viviette finds herself caught between the comfort of familiar duty and the allure of new admirers, including the eager Lord Banstead. Her light‑hearted laughter masks a growing awareness of the power she holds over the hearts of men, and the story gently explores how she navigates expectations, affection, and the intoxicating promise of independence. As summer breezes stir the garden, Viviette’s choices begin to shape the delicate balance of love, loyalty, and self‑discovery.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (152K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Kevin Handy, Dave Maddock, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
Release date
2006-02-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1863–1930
Best known for warm, witty novels like The Beloved Vagabond and The Morals of Marcus Ordeyne, this British novelist built a huge readership in the early 20th century. His stories often mix humor, romance, and sympathy for offbeat characters trying to find their place in the world.
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