"Dawn"
Eighteen year old Philip Caresfoot, son of "Devil" Caresfoot (79), of Bratham Abbey, has a bitter rival and foe in the person of his cousin George. George's half-witted father had married a kitchenmaid, and after he died "from entire failure of brain power" and she of drink, was adopted by his uncle. Philip was careless but not ill-intentioned, George sought to acquire the estate if he might, and always worked upon his uncle's feelings to the ill of Philip.
One advantage Philip had - aside from being the heir - was that the 18 year old Maria Lee, heiress of nearby Rewtham House (£1,500 a year and 500 acres), loved him. Though his own feelings approached love they were, however, soon eclipsed when Philip met Hilda von Holtzhausen, the German lady of high birth but low fortune, who was to be her companion. Philip soon fell madly in love with the sultry Hilda, who reciprocated, though Philip sought to keep his attachment secret from Maria - and from his father. Not surprisingly Squire Caresfoot expected that his son would marry the local heiress, who offered the added bonuses of loving Philip, and of promising to bring a strain of gentleness to the hard lineage of the Caresfoot, whose origins were as yeomen farmers, who had bought the abbey at the dissolution of the monastries.
Philip was sent to Magdalen College, Oxford, to complete his education, while George was articled to Foster and Son, Solicitors of Roxham. On his return Philip found that George had not been idle, and was all but running the estate. But his father welcomed him cordially. He inquired of the state of relations between himself and Maria Lee, and was surprised to learn that they had been secretly engaged for eight months. The Squire drove to Rewtham House and had Maria - who like everyone who came into contact with him was initially terrified of the old man - confirm this. He then arranged a dinner party in the Great Hall (60' by 60'), at which 50 of their neighbours were entertained. To Philip's secret fear and surprise the squire announced the engagement, unaware that Philip had married Hilda in London (1 August 1856), making her promise to keep it secret for fear he would be disinherited.
George, and his hencewoman Mrs Anne, wife of solicitor Bellamy, saw Philip's reaction, and investigated further, soon discovering the plot. An anonymous letter to Mrs Philip Caresfoot, hinting that Philip wasn't faithful, led to her arrival at the Abbey and a fearful scene. The old squire didn't treat Hilda - now obviously expecting a child - badly. Indeed he treated her with all due respect, but immediately put into effect his threat to disinherit Philip of the £4,000 unentailed property, and £900 personalty, to which Philip was heir. He couldn't stop Philip from inheriting the £1,000 a year entailed land.
Philip noticed a draft Will on his father's writing desk, which would entirely disinherit him. He confronted the old man, who roundly condemned him. Devil Caresfoot had a bad heart, and when his occasional fits took him had recourse to a strong restorative. At the height of their argument his was struck down. Philip, when he returned with the medicine, hesitated. If the old man died he would carry out his intentions of disinheriting him. He smashed the bottle, and his father died with the word "murderer" on his lips. But it was all in vain - the lawyers had already made a new Will. Almost immediately new tragedy struck. Hilda is confined, and dies shortly after giving birth to a daughter, Angela. Maria, learning all in a letter from the Squire, forgives Philip, but renounces him for ever. Philip is completely crushed.
Angela grows up in the morose and increasingly miserly company of her father, and of Pigott, her nurse. From the age of nine she is educated privately by the Vicar, the Reverend Mr Fraser. By the time she is a young adult her father has succeeded in amassing £150,000, almost enough to buy the Isleworth Hall estates back, but Angela is required to exercise the greatest economy in running the household.
George's ward, Arthur Heigham (25) visits him, accompanied by his bulldog, Aleck. The dog kills George's Thibet sheep-dog, Snarleyyow, after the latter was set upon Arthur's dog by George. George is furious, and develops an intense dislike for Arthur, though the whole neighbourhood side with Arthur and Aleck.
On Angela's 20th birthday she met Arthur fishing, and invited him to stay. Very quickly they fall in love, which suits Philip, as he will be rid of Angela, and Arthur is moderately rich. But George sees Angela and wants to marry her himself.
Rich politician and solicitor Sir John Bellamy bought Rewtham House from the executors of Maria Lee, who has since died. His wife, Anne, is the real power behind him, and she is under the control of George, because of some past associate and a collection of her letters he keeps in a safe. He gets her to suggest to Philip that George marry Angela and in return he will sell the Isleworth estates to Philip. Philip is tempted, but fears Angela, because of superstitious fears of his late wife haunting him if he does any harm to their daughter.
Philip agrees, however, in return for £1,000, to send Arthur away for a year, to allow George to try his hand. Arthur goes to Madeira. There he meets Mildred Carr, and 30 year old widow worth £20,000-£30,000 a year. She falls for Arthur, who is too blind to see this happening. Meanwhile Angela is under threat, as Pigott has been given notice, and even the vicar is away, on a long holiday. He has long kept to himself the fact that he is in love with Angela, and is trying to cure himself of this. When he returns he selflessly consoled and counselled Angela, "like a martyr".
Sir John and Lady Bellamy meet Arthur in Madeira. The extremely astute Anne sees how matters stand between Mildred and Arthur. She manages to beguile Arthur into entrusting his engagement ring to her, as a message to Angela. As Agatha Terry, cousin and companion to Mildred tells Arthur, this was very trusting.
Arthur discovers that rumour has him Mrs Carr's fiance, and leaves, to spent the remainder of his year in France and elsewhere.
As Mr Fraser and Angela dined at Christmas Lady Bellamy arrived with bad news. She tells them Arthur has died in Madeira, produces the ring and a forged note from Arthur. They believe her. Angela takes to parish work.
George convinces the neighbourhood that he is dying, and that he wishes to convey the estate to Philip. But he cannot do this under the terms of the will - unless Angela marries him. It would only be a marriage in name.Very reluctantly she agrees to do so. The 3-4,000 acres and six Lordships of the Manor are conveyed to Philip, for the reduced sum of £50,000, George keeping only the mansion house.
The night of the wedding, which was conducted in a registry office, George arrives at the Abbey House to claim Angela - Philip being conveniently out of the way. But as she runs from him they see Isleworth Hall in flames. Lady Bellamy has set fire to it todestroy the letters, unaware that Sir John has already stolen them. George is ruined, as the house was uninsured due to confusion in the transfer.
Arthur arrives next morning to marry Angela as arranged. He meets Pigott, who takes him for a ghost at first. He is agast at the news that Angela has just married George - unaware of the circumstances - and runs off in shock. But he meets Angela, and berates her before she can explain. Angela, alread beside herself, is struck by George, who sees Arthur and her together. But Aleck, whom Arthur had left with Angela a year ago, attacks George to protect his mistress. George and the dog fall into the lake, and both perish. Arthur returns to Mrs Carr in Madeira.
Sir John threatens to expose Lady Bellamy, whom he hates for having cockolded and used as a dupe for 20 years. She had deserted her husband, and their child had died of her neglect. She defied him and attempted to commit suicide with poison. But this is ineffective, merely giving her permanent complete paralysis.
Angela has gone mad. But gradually she improves. One night she calls on Arthur, and at the same time Arthur and Mildred, on the latters private yacht at sea, hear her voice. Angela recovers, and accompanied by Pigott takes ship for Madeira after the partly reformed Lady Bellamy tells her of the relationship between Arthur and Mrs Carr. Arthur asked Mildred to marry him, but she refused because she knew he didn't really love her, but still pined for Angela. But when Angela and Arthur are reunited Mildred Carr is heart-broken.
This is an interesting story, primarily Victorian romance, but with elements more typical of Haggard's better known genre. Arthur is a shallow but amiable character. George a superstitious and guilt-ridden miser and George simply an evil man. As usual with Haggard it is the women who are the strong characters. Angela is almost too good to be true - and Mildred Carr said she towered above all others in her beauty, learning and virtue. Lady Bellamy is an astute, cunning and ambitious woman, taken to the occult arts - though the precise details of these are not revealed. Mrs Carr is a loving and selfless woman, the vicar equally if not more selfless, since he keeps his grief to himself. The story has a happy ending for the lovers, though it was a hard year they had to go through. But there are more unhappy people at the end than happy. Mr Fraser exchanges his comfortable rural parish for a docks parish to lose himself in hard work - though he is no longer a young man. Philip is consumed by fears and regrets, and is reviled as a miser who tried to sell his own daughter. George is dead, Lady Bellamy paralysed. Sir John is disgraced - at least locally - when his part in the scandal becomes known. Mrs Carr is heart-broken. A rather depressing ending.