A novel written in the late 19th century. Set among English gentry and a village school, it centers on Dorothy Flemyng, a schoolmaster’s warm-hearted daughter, and Sir Jasper Harrington, whose ardor collides with class expectations and his commanding mother’s plans. The likely focus is a love-vs.-duty struggle, with Dorothy’s integrity and loyalty to her family tested against Jasper’s romantic impetuosity. The opening of the novel sketches Herra Flemyng’s austere school and brings Dorothy vividly to life as a kind, spirited protector of the weak, adored by her pupils, including young Stephen Harrington. Sir Jasper encounters Dorothy on a country road and impulsively confesses his love; she admits her feelings but refuses to accept him, foreseeing Lady Harrington’s disapproval. Jasper pleads with his mother, who softens yet proposes hard terms: Dorothy must sever ties with her background and her father should leave the district—conditions Dorothy firmly rejects. The rift deepens as Stephen is withdrawn from the school, and Dorothy endures quiet heartbreak, culminating in a tense church encounter that underscores the social divide.
