Part of Chronicles of Barsetshire, book 3
First published 1991
Frank Gresham faces an impossible choice. The son of a bankrupt landowner loves Mary Thorne deeply, but she appears to be an illegitimate girl without fortune. His ambitious mother and haughty aunt demand he marry wealth instead to save their mortgaged estate. They push him toward a rich heiress who can restore the family's financial standing. Mary's guardian, the principled Dr. Thorne, holds the key to resolving this crisis. He alone knows the secret of Mary's true parentage and the substantial inheritance awaiting her. This knowledge would make her acceptable to Frank's snobbish relatives immediately. Yet the doctor refuses to reveal these facts, believing Mary deserves acceptance for her own character rather than her hidden wealth. Trollope explores how money shapes social standing and moral choices in this 1858 novel, painting rural English society with both affection and sharp observation.
Genres: classic-literature, romance, historical-fiction, british-literature, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: England, Rural England
Period: 1858
557 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books