Archibald Marshall (1866–1934)

This 1911 book is the second in a series called The Clinton Chronicles. Eldest son Dick Clinton, heir to Kencote, plans to marry Virginia Dubec, widow of Lord George Dubec. Problem is, she's an American, had a brief stage career, and her husband was a thorough blackguard. Dick's father, the Squire, can't abide the thought of such a daughter-in-law, and he refuses to meet Virginia. Before long the Squire declares he will cut Dick out of his will if he marries Virginia. The second son, show more Humphrey, who also wants to marry, sees an opportunity to improve his financial circumstances, and it's the relationship between brothers Dick and Humphrey that is most interesting.

Marshall, an English author, was frequently compared to Anthony Trollope both in England and the US. He pictures a conservative, country-life England, in which the landed gentry sense change coming but resist it, apparently with success. Based on reading two of his numerous novels, I think in some way he is missing the Trollope charm, but on his own merits he succeeds in writing novels that engage me. His plots and characterization were good, and he was a graceful writer who effectively sprinkled gentle satire throughout the story. show less

Cicely is the daughter of a domineering and opinionated squire who ensures that he and his sons get to do whatever they want, but, although his wife and daughter are not badly treated, their preferences and personalities receive very little consideration from him. As a result, Cicely has grown up rather uneducated and with very little opportunity to meet new people. When she does get a trip to London, she starts to realize that she has missed out on some things that other girls of her show more generation are enjoying, and she resents it.
When she gets back home, her unofficial fiance Jim has just arrived from a prolonged absence. Jim is a worthy, quiet fellow who loves Cicely much more than everybody realizes. But she no longer feels certain that she wants to marry him. She sees her future life with him as just one long continuation of life with her father, where her own tastes and preferences don't matter, where she has to submerge her own personality and intellect in favor of the men of the family. So when an unexpected proposal comes her way to elope with Mackenzie, a near stranger who leads a very exciting and adventurous life, she is strongly tempted.
Before she can be happy she has the problem of figuring out why exactly she feels discontented, what kind of men Jim and Mackenzie truly are, and what they would each expect from her.
Pretty enjoyable. show less