Peter's Mother

At Barracombe House, an old family estate above a Devon village, inherited habits carry the force of law. Henry De La Pasture places Lady Mary Crewys within this closely guarded English world, where duty to family can leave little room for personal wishes. The opening traces the Crewys family history and the geography of the Youle valley, giving the household's pride a setting of fields, woods, rival neighbours and inconvenient river crossings.

When Peter returns after more than two years of soldiering in South Africa, even changes to the hall provoke objections. Wax flowers and stuffed animals become points of friction between his attachment to the past and Lady Mary's changing taste. Her appreciation of John Crewys's thoughtful manners sharpens the contrast with Peter's abrupt speech. This novel of mothers, sons and love offers a close view of how family authority operates through everyday conversation, household objects and expectations of service.