This novel is a story set at a beautiful country estate in
England, Rutherford Park. It is written
with a wonderful insight into the lives
of the gentry and also the servants living at the estate. It is
indicative of a time past where there was so much beauty and elegance in the
simple things of life.
The story revolves around William and Octavia Cavendish and
their three children. Octavia was more
or less rail-roaded into a marriage by a severe and domineering father. Her husband, William, is very much old school
with conservative values of a much earlier time from the 1800’s. He fails to understand the complexities of
modern changes on society as the country gets ready for another war.
The servants of the house-hold, gardens and also
stables add another dimension to the
story as also an Amercan traveller who
stays at Rutherford Park during the summer months at an invitation by Lord
Cavendish. This is the American, John
Gould.
This is a wonderful story and I looked forward to
reading this initial story as I had
previously read
The Wild Dark Flowers which is the second novel in the
series, which I enjoyed reading and thought
was very poignant, sad and so realisitic as it portrays the
war years and the effect on the inhabitants
of Rutherford Park, servants and members of the family
alike.
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