The Capricorn Stone

Bridie Chance has been brought up in luxury, but her world is shattered when her father dies suddenly, under circumstances that leave no doubt about his secret career as a jewel thief. With no home, no friends, and very little money, Bridie finds herself responsible for a helpless mother, a younger sister, and an elderly nanny. It appears that her father may have left clues to a stash of stolen jewels. Strangers who might be his criminal associates, or perhaps the representatives of the law, seem to think so. But the extreme vagueness of the clues - and the fact that Bridie has no idea whom to trust - complicate matters beyond belief.

Bridie Chance loses everything and ends up a part of a vaudevillian team in Edwardian England. Raised in wealth, she is shocked one day to find that her beloved father is not only dead but a well-known jewel thief.

I really love this novel. It is a classic Madeleine Brent story- the female main character is in some sort of bad circumstances, but finds her way out of it.

Excellent book if you can find it!