The first edition of this book is dated 1908. The edition used is dated 1908. The publisher was Cassell & Co. Ltd., London, Toronto, Melbourne & Sydney. The number of pages is 343.

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General information

This book is a little different from most of the others from this author. The cast of the story are just a shade older than we are used to in Vaizey books, and there is no one who is afflicted with a disabling disease, such as the author herself suffered from. I suppose you could describe the setting as the upper-class Mayfair set.

The scene opens in the house of a tidy old spinster, living in a tidy little seaside town, in a row of large houses of similar people, sharing private access to a well-kept garden. A rather stable existence.

There is also a nice young American girl, over in England as part of her education, no doubt. Her father has become very rich in America, but he is the brother of the tidy old spinster, on whom, and to whose dismay, he has imposed Cornelia’s visit. Cornelia is simply not used to the standards of English behaviour, for instance chaperones, and not gadding about with young men. Cornelia has quite enough pocket-money to do as she pleases. But her aunt is proved right in the end, for among all these nice well-brought-up people there is a baddy, which is revealed only towards the end.

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Contents

Chapter I.
Somewhere on the West coast of England, about a hundred miles from the metropolis, there stands a sleepy little town, which possesses no special activity nor beauty to justify its existence.

Chapter II.
“My dear,” said Mrs. Ramsden, solemnly, “this is indeed great news.

Chapter III.
The Lucania was due to arrive in the Mersey early on a Tuesday forenoon, and Miss Briskett expected to welcome her niece on the evening of the same day.

Chapter IV.
Perfect health, radiant spirits, supreme self-confidence, a sweetly smiling determination to have her own way, and go her own course, though the skies fell, and all creation conspired to prevent her—these were the characteristics of Miss Cornelia Briskett most apparent on a superficial acquaintance.

Chapter V.
By the time that Cornelia had been a week in residence at The Nook, she had become the one absorbing topic of Norton conversation, and her aunt’s attitude towards her was an odd mingling of shame and pride.

Chapter VI.
Twenty yards farther Elma came to a halt, eyes and lips opened wide in gaping astonishment at the sight of the trespasser.

Chapter VII.
On Thursday afternoon at three o’clock Cornelia retired to her bedroom, and with the help of the devoted Mary proceeded to make an elaborate toilette for the drive.

Chapter VIII.
To Elma it was still a dream, but a dream growing momentarily more wonderful and thrilling.

Chapter IX.
It was Mrs. Greville’s pleasure to be addressed as “Madame” by the members of her household, and the name had spread until it was now adopted as a sobriquet by the entire neighbourhood.

Chapter X.
Geoffrey was lounging about in the hall as the two girls descended the wide staircase.

Chapter XI.
At the first shock of hearing of the accident, Mrs. Ramsden’s motherly anxiety swamped all other feeling.

Chapter XII.
Two golden days! Summer sunshine, roses, lounging chairs set behind sheltering trees, grey eyes eloquent with unspoken vows; on every side beauty, and luxury, and sweet fostering care.

Chapter XIII.
Mrs. Ramsden sent up a box to the Manor that same afternoon, containing a dark linen dress, a blue blouse, and black skirt for evening wear; a supply of underclothing, a grey Shetland shawl, and a flannel dressing-gown.

Chapter XIV.
Cornelia booked a first-class return to town, scattered half-crowns broadcast among the astonished porters, ensconced herself in a corner of an empty carriage, and prepared to enjoy the journey.

Chapter XV.
The moment of tension passed, and the strain relaxed. Captain Guest stoutly defended his position, and Cornelia vouchsafed a generous sympathy, while not budging an inch from her ultimate decision.

Chapter XVI.
Cornelia was surprised to find that her friends were not already housed at the Ritz, but had been staying at a private hotel, in a dull side street, where the cab called on the way from the station, to take up a pile of luggage lying ready packed in the hall.

Chapter XVII.
The Moffatts appeared to have few private friends in London, and to show no anxiety to add to their number.

Chapter XVIII.
Captain Guest could not flatter himself that Cornelia was in anyway “set on” flirting with himself, since nothing could have been further removed from that attitude than her behaviour during the afternoon.

Chapter XIX.
Before parting from Cornelia at the hotel, Guest made a point of finding out her programme of amusements for the next few days, as a consequence of which he called at a theatrical depôt on his way to his club, and secured an odd stall for either night.

Chapter XX.
On returning to the hotel that evening, Mr. Moffatt announced that he and his wife had business on hand next morning, which would necessitate an early breakfast, and that once again they would be obliged to leave Cornelia to her own resources.

Chapter XXI.
Mrs. Moffatt was standing before the table, tearing up old papers.

Chapter XXII.
When Guest drove round to the hotel next morning to escort Cornelia to the station, she was surprised to see his own bag on the roof, and to hear that he intended to accompany her all the way to Norton.

Chapter XXIII.
For a whole week the battle raged; the battle between youth and age, love and the world.

Chapter XXIV.
“I suppose I must give them tea!” was Mrs. Ramsden’s comment upon hearing of the visit which had been planned for the afternoon.

Chapter XXV.
The parental summons arrived ten days after the date of Elma’s formal engagement, and at the expiration of the seventh week of Cornelia’s sojourn in England.

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