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Corvey 'Adopt-an-Author'
Henrietta Rouviere Mosse
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The Corvey Project
at Sheffield Hallam University |
Synopsis of A Father's Love and a Woman's Friendship
This novel by Henrietta Rouviere
Mosse is primarily concerned with the widow Mrs Gertrude Granby and her four
beautiful and modest daughters, Sophia, Julia, Caroline and Laura. Partly
through the letters to her childhood friend, Lady Sarah Oxmanton, we learn
that Gertrude was the sole heir of her father’s estate, Pemberton Hall, but
was disinherited when she secretly married Captain Granby, who was well
respected but poor in comparison to Gertrude. The letters tell of Mrs
Granby’s hardship during the Napoleonic Wars, the eventual death of her
husband, and her return with her family to Lancashire, her place of birth.
Sophia marries a French officer, M
St. Clairville, and after their wedding they travel to France, accompanied
by Caroline. En route they visit London, where Caroline meets Sir Charles
Ramsey. There is an obvious attraction between them and when he discovers
she is going to France he makes her promise that she will never marry a
foreigner like her sister.
Meanwhile, we are introduced to
Sarah Oxmanton and her eldest daughter, Gertrude, who is vain and affected.
They are staying in France for Gertrude’s health, and when Sarah receives
Mrs Granby’s letter she returns to London to see her, leaving her daughter
in the care of the lively Duchess of Dreadnot, and her niece Miss Minikin,
much to Miss Oxmanton’s disgust. Lady Oxmanton visits Mrs Granby in
Lancashire and they have an emotional reunion. Gertrude allows Sarah to take
one of her daughters to London and it is decided that Julia should go with
her. At a party at Lady Oxmanton’s house, Julia is introduced to Lord
Frederick Newbank, whom she at first finds dull but later becomes attracted
to. She also meets the Oxmanton’s eldest son George, who herself and Laura
had previously encountered on a trip to Dearnwater Abbey, where their mother
and Sarah Oxmanton grew up. Newbank is jealous of Julia and George’s
relationship, but he is unaware that it is purely platonic, as George is in
love with Laura Granby.
Whilst staying in Montpellier,
Caroline becomes acquainted with Lord Narramore, and Gertrude Oxmanton is
tricked into running away with Count Lignitz, who steals all her possessions
and leaves her stranded in Germany. However, by coincidence she bumps into
George, and he looks after her as the stress of the events makes her very
ill. After she recovers she becomes a different person. She becomes more
humble and begs for her parents’ forgiveness. Her father comes to the hotel
with his friend Count Beckendorff and forgives his daughter. Beckendorff is
attracted to Gertrude’s humility and falls in love with her.
Sophia gives birth to a baby girl in
France, whom she calls Gertrude, but owing to the unfortunate death of St.
Clairville they decide to go back to England. Caroline bumps into Ramsey in
Calais, and after an initial misunderstanding, Ramsey declares his love for
Caroline and asks her to marry him. They all go back to the Oxmantons’ in
London where they are reunited with Julia, who has agreed to marry Lord
Newbank.
On their return to Lancashire,
Caroline once again sees Narramore, and visits him at his house. She urges
him to visit her and her family at Willow Cottage and when he comes to see
them and is introduced to Gertrude it is revealed that he is actually her
father. They are reunited and the novel ends with the marriages of Caroline
to Lord Ramsey and Julia to Lord Newbank, and the restoration of Gertrude to
her rightful place at Pemberton Hall with Sophia and Laura.
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