The Woman's Way

Celia Grant has exchanged a comfortable Berkshire home for a small room high in Brown's Buildings, where a pound a week must cover rent, food, clothes and travel. Her father's death has revealed his financial ruin, and she chooses to earn her own living. Charles Garvice begins this romance with the details of that new existence: a folding bed, carefully counted pennies, a bunch of violets and tea shared with Mr. Clendon, an elderly theatre musician who becomes her companion.

The story also follows Derrick, an engineer who receives employment and unexpected kindness from the wealthy Donna Elvira. Their conversation raises questions about his family background, while her reactions suggest that his account has touched a private concern. Against these different circumstances, the novel brings love, inheritance and social position into view. Readers interested in older popular fiction will find domestic observation alongside emotional uncertainty, with everyday comforts carrying as much meaning as the possessions of a great household.