A True Friend

At Miss Polehampton's fashionable school, friendship crosses a boundary that the adults are determined to preserve. Margaret Adair, a wealthy and admired pupil, is devoted to Janetta Colwyn, the poorly dressed music governess and pupil teacher. Janetta studies after the other girls have gone to bed, excels despite her workload, and offers the sympathy that makes her a trusted companion. Their closeness exposes a school where family position influences whose abilities receive recognition.

Adeline Sergeant also follows Janetta into the demands of family life. Troubled by Cuthbert Brand's attentions to her younger sister Nora, she resolves to speak to him herself while managing responsibilities at home. The novel brings social ambition, loyalty and practical duty into ordinary conversations and difficult decisions. Readers interested in class distinctions and the burdens placed on a capable young woman will find both in Janetta's daily work and relationships.