Girlhood and Womanhood

Joanna Crawfurd carries much of the responsibility for a household shadowed by her father's remorse. A fatal duel lies behind the opening story, and the Laird of the Ewes relies on his daughter as secretary, housekeeper and nurse. When her lively English cousin Polly visits from York, riding ponies and joining in country pursuits, their different temperaments bring Joanna's devoted role into sharper focus. Gossip about a mark on her brow also ties her to the family's painful past.

Sarah Tytler's collection contains eight stories about young women, family relationships and changes of fortune. In another episode, Nelly Carnegie goes through a troubled wedding and arrives at Staneholme, a home beside the moor and sea. The busy preparations of relatives and servants contrast with the bride's subdued manner. Details of domestic work, dress, meals and rural surroundings make the book useful for readers interested in older social customs and the expectations surrounding daughters and wives.