In Edwardian England's rigid social landscape, love becomes a dangerous proposition when truth and propriety collide. Giles Inglett Saltren has fallen for Arminell, but a family secret binds them in ways that threaten everything they thought they knew about themselves. When Giles confesses the truth, Arminell must grapple not only with her feelings but with the shattering of her father's idealized legacy. Baring-Gould weaves a tale of forbidden affection and hidden parentage against the unforgiving backdrop of class consciousness. Arminell finds herself caught between defying her stepmother and a society that demands she suppress her true self. The novel examines what remains of love when the foundations of identity crumble and authenticity must be fought for at tremendous cost. For readers who appreciate the emotional weight of Thomas Hardy and the social scrutiny of Henry James.
