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When her father remarries, the honest, innocent Molly Gibson suddenly finds herself with a new stepsister, Cynthia, who is beautiful, worldly and impetuous. This would be more than enough to deal with, but the new wife is the deeply snobbish (and darkly secretive) Hyacinth. Thwarted love, scheming ambition and small-town gossip underlie the warmth, irony and brilliant social observation which link the relationships and the inevitable conflicts as profound change comes to rural England. The most mature and rewarding of her novels, Wives and Daughters places Elizabeth Gaskell in the first rank of English authors.
Elizabeth Gaskell: Wives and Daughters (Abridged)
THE DAWN OF AS GALA DAY
After the proper amount of exhibition…
'Ah, yes! as soon as we have got over the school…'
A NOVICE AMONG THE GREAT FOLK
At length she saw the pretty lady coming back…
Molly - only child as she was…
Mrs. Kirkpatrick came gliding up…
MOLLY GIBSON'S CHILDHOOD
Mr. Gibson's domestic affections…
MR. GIBSON'S NEIGHBOURS
Perhaps the man of all others…
If Roger did not do well at Cambridge it was his own fault.
CALF-LOVE
Mr. Coxe hung his head a little, and meditated.
A Visit To The Hamleys
'Ah! But it was not a lesson. I remember the painter…'
Molly was so deep in one of Sir Walter Scott's novels…
FORESHADOWS OF LOVE PERILS
So Mr. Gibson rode round to the stables…
DRIFTING INTO DANGER
During this absence of Molly's…
THE WIDOWER AND THE WIDOW
But the first day on which Mr. Gibson paid his visit…
A CRISIS
It was the next morning before Mr. Gibson arrived…
For a minute or two he thought it would be kinder…
To their surprise, Molly came in, trying hard to look as usual.
MAKING FRIENDSHIP
It is a question whether Mrs. Kirkpatrick or Molly wished…
Mrs. Kirkpatrick led her into Lady Cumnor's presence…
Molly had held up all the day bravely…
PREPARING FOR THE WEDDING
MOLLY GIBSON'S NEW FRIENDS
Mr. Preston must have heard her step…
MOLLY FINDS HERSELF PATRONISED
'I used to think I managed her…'
Then the carriage came round…
All the gentlemen were gone…
THE NEW MAMMA
For some time the murmurs and grumblings…
THE BRIDE AT HOME
Squire Hamley came in.
TROUBLE AT HAMLEY HALL
The squire asked Molly every day…
Mr. Osborne's Secret
The last afternoon of her stay at the Hall came.
CYNTHIA'S ARRIVAL
A woman will have this charm…
'Well, then mamma had to go out as a governess…'
MRS. GIBSON'S VISITOR'S
Molly went back to her seat by Cynthia.
THE HALF-SISTERS
'We've had our unexpected visitor, too,' said Mr. Gibson.
OSBORNE HAMLEY REVIEWS HIS POSITION
MRS. GIBSON'S LITTLE DINNER
'Ah, Mr. Gibson, I have found out…'
HOLLINGFORD IN A BUSTLE
The afternoon of the day on which the ball was to take place…
A CHARITY BALL
Meanwhile Miss Piper and Miss Phoebe…
Mr. Preston was looking intently and angrily…
Lady Harriet, spied the Gibson party…
Molly felt innocent enough, and made no reply.
She put her arm in her brother's as she spoke…
RIVALRY
'Oh, but you must be with us! We must wait…'
For some reason or other, unknown to the Gibsons…
'I believe I have been very thoughtless…'
BUSH-FIGHTING
Presently, Osborne came upstairs…
Again Cynthia was lost in thought…
OLD WAYS AND NEW WAYS
COMING EVENTS
Lady Harriet was sorry to miss Molly…
Cynthia now joined the party, pretty and elegant…
BRIGHTENING PROSPECTS
‘What's this I hear about Roger?' said Mr. Gibson…
'I wish I could tell his mother,' said the squire…
A LOVER'S MISTAKE
Cynthia did not seem inclined to repeat her saying…
THE MOTHER'S MANOEUVRE
'I knew,' said she through sobs and tears…
'Has mamma told you?' said she…
'He's not the eldest son,' continued the squire…
'Your Molly is one in a thousand…'
MR. KIRKPATRICK , Q.C.
MOLLY GIBSON BREATHES FREELY
'You see a great deal of Mr. Preston, don't you, Molly!'
GATHERING CLOUDS
'I'm afraid I'm not as much struck by the wonder of the thing…'
THE STORM BURSTS
Molly left the path and went straight…
'I am quite puzzled by you both,' said Molly.
CYNTHIA'S CONFESSION
He sate down on the table…
'So now you understand it all, Molly.'
MOLLY GIBSON TO THE RESCUE
It was a cloudy blustering day…
'Does she say that to you in cold blood?'
Cynthia was on the watch for her return…
CONFIDENCES
'No one here! What a blessing!'
Molly thought for a minute or two…
Molly enjoyed her house to herself to the full…
HOLLINGFORD GOSSIPS
SCANDAL AND ITS VICTIMS
'Molly Gibson has lost her character, sister. That's it.'
AN INNOCENT CULPRIT
'You say you were not acting for yourself…'
I hate to have you mixed up in mysteries.'
MOLLY GIBSON FINDS A CHAMPION
At length he burst in.
Lady Harriet, was riding homewards…
And he rode home, and told his wife…
CYNTHIA AT BAY
When she looked back upon her visit…
At last she said, 'Molly knows it all.'
'TROUBLES NEVER COME ALONE'
'But here you are, just in such a position before me, Cynthia!'
She laid her hand on the hot damp skin of the horse's shoulder…
SQUIRE HAMLEY'S SORROW
'Here's Molly,' said Mr. Gibson, choking a little himself…
'Some months ago Osborne called.'
'Someone must write to Mrs. Osborne Hamley.'
UNLOOKED-FOR ARRIVALS
The writing this letter was rather difficult work for Molly…
Her arms relaxed, her figure swayed…
MOLLY GIBSON'S WORTH IS DISCOVERED
After this, long days passed over…
When they came within two miles of Hollingford…
Molly's delight at seeing her showed itself…
AN ABSENT LOVER RETURNS
Molly went on with her questions on other subjects.
'I was so sorry to hear how ill you had been!'
'OFF WITH THE OLD LOVE, AND ON WITH THE NEW.'
Now Roger spoke to Molly - spoke hurriedly, spoke hoarsely.
BRIDAL VISITS AND ADIEUX
'The squire?' asked Mrs. Gibson in some surprise.
Molly was sitting in the drawing-room pale and trembling…
When Molly arrived at the Towers…
REVIVING HOPES AND BRIGHTENING PROSPECTS
Molly stood up.
MOLLY GIBSON AT HAMLEY HALL
It so happened that on Molly's last morning…
ROGER HAMLEY'S CONFESSION
One evening after dinner…
'My dear boy!' said Mr. Gibson…
Mr. Gibson gave Roger's message to his wife…
Having married Cynthia, as her mother put it…
SoundCommentary.com
“Patience Tomlinson’s narration is generally delightful. She distinguishes all of the speakers convincingly, adding to their depth as well...as Molly grows and blossoms, so too does Tomlinson, and by the time the audiobook ends, a more adept reader for this novel would be difficult to imagine.”
THE DAWN OF AS GALA DAY