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This is an epistolary novel, mainly composed of letters from Mary Boyle to her former governess, Mrs. Rowe. Mary’s mother preferred her sister Caroline to Mary, aided by their great-aunt Mrs. Cranfield, who wants the beautiful Caroline to marry a titled gentleman. Mary writes to Mrs. Rowe when Caroline decides to marry Lord Gaywit, to the pride and delight of her mother and great-aunt. The day after the wedding, however, Mrs. Cranfield dies, closely followed by Mrs. Boyle, so Mary and her grief-stricken father, who is in debt, sell up and move to Scotland.
Mary’s sister Caroline, now Lady Gaywit, writes to her about the dull house party she and her husband are hosting. She wants to go to Bath, but has to stay in mourning for her mother for a while, so she ungraciously submits to meeting her husband’s friends and family, about whom she writes uncharitably and wittily.
Mary is constantly shocked about her sister’s outspoken comments on her guests, but Caroline thinks Mary old for her years and too grave. Only one of her guests is to Caroline'’ liking; Sir James Nichols, who is very attentive to her. Soon scandalous rumours begin to spread about the two.
Lord Gaywit writes to Mary in her Glasgow cottage to ask advice about Caroline. He tells her of her sister’s perfidy and of how she has insulted his friend, Bevil Gardner, resulting in the latter’s departure from the house. Mary soon discovers his destination, as Mrs. Rowe, on a visit to an uncle in London, writes to say she has met him, and on mentioning Lady Gaywit in passing, was surprised to see his reaction of dislike. She tells him about Mary, whose virtues she extols to him.
Caroline writes to Mary, sulking that Sir James has left due to a supposed business appointment. She complains that there is no use in having beauty if there is no-one to admire it. Mary asks Mrs. Rowe to find out the truth behind Lord Gaywit’s accusation of his wife.
Mary and Mr. Boyle move to Elgin, where an elderly clergyman introduces them to Mrs. Gordon, a widow, and her daughter. Mary is informed of the death of Lord Stanton, Lord Gaywit’s father. Lord Gaywit and Caroline are now the Earl and Countess Stanton. Caroline writes to complain that she had no sooner laid aside mourning for her mother than she has had to reassume it for her father-in-law, and black does not suit her.
Mary and Miss Gordon have been introduced by Mr. Ross the clergyman to a young man by the name of Spencer who appears to have a secret. They wonder why Mr. Ross has so readily accepted him and why he is in Elgin. Soon he explains himself: he is Bevil Gardner, friend of Lord Stanton, who has heard so much about Mary’s goodness from his friend and from Mrs. Rowe that he has fallen in love with her from a distance and wanted to see her. He tells her he cannot bear fashionable women, but her kindness and simplicity has made him want to marry her. The cautious Mary is worried, thinking him capricious in setting out under an assumed name to see a girl he did not know, but her father and Mr. Ross approve of him. What is worse for Mary is that Miss Gordon has fallen out with her as she is herself attracted to Gardner and thinks he feels the same for her, so Mary feels she cannot marry him.
Lord Stanton writes to Bevil Gardner to say that Caroline loves him again and they are going to Bath where they will se Sir James, but the Earl decides he is not dangerous, only foolish. Caroline writes to tell Mary about Bath. She has begun flirting with Sir James again. Mrs. Rowe’s next letter tells Mary there is scandalous news. Shots have been exchanged between Lord Stanton and Sir James, whose arm has been broken. Lord Stanton supplies the details in a later communication. He had burst into the bedroom to find Caroline in disordered dress and Sir James in the closet. Caroline is now confined to the house and refusing to eat or to speak to him. Mary and Mr. Boyle return to England, but Caroline refuses to see them.
A letter from Sir James to a friend tells of Caroline’s sudden arrival at his home at breakfast. She tells him she has left Lord Stanton so Sir James must protect her as he has made her what she is. He tries to get out of any responsibility toward her and says if she takes a house in town he will pay his respects but does not want to bring Lord Stanton upon him; after all, he reminds her, he almost lost his arm in the duel. Caroline falls into a fit upon hearing this, so Sir James escapes to the coffee house to write this letter.
Bevil Gardner writes to tell Mrs. Rowe that Caroline’s life is despaired of and Mary is caring for her. She had had convulsions after her rejection by Sir James and has deteriorated since then. She asks Mary and Lord Stanton for their forgiveness and receives it. She dies a few days later, aged eighteen, a victim, according to her sister, of vanity. Mary says it is a lesson to men not to seduce innocence. Mrs. Rowe says Caroline’s errors were those of education. Lord Stanton, distracted with grief, soon meets Sir James again and kills him, fleeing afterwards to Calais with the help of a friend who acted as his second. Eventually, he takes solace from his family.
Miss Gordon meets a young man to whom she is attracted, thus leaving the way clear for Mary and Bevil Gardner to marry. Mary often sheds a tear for her sister, ‘who, in the full bloom of youth and beauty, had fallen so early a victim to visionary and ambitious expectations and to the delusions of vanity.’
© 2001 Karen Morton / Sheffield Hallam University
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