Unlucky

Helen has grown used to a life shaped around her wishes when her father brings home a new wife. In their Bloomsbury Square house, Mrs. Desmond imposes a strict timetable of lessons, music practice and carefully supervised evenings. She believes that firmness will correct her stepdaughter's unruly temper, while Helen sees the new household as a threat to her father's affection. Their mutual misunderstanding gives Caroline Austin's domestic story its central tension.

A later move to Longford Grange brings orchards, meadows and a country rectory into the story, following Colonel Desmond's illness. Alongside the change of scene, Helen's fear for her father gives new weight to her promises of better conduct. Written for young readers, the book explores the difference between obedience and affection, and the difficulty adults and children can have in recognizing each other's needs. Its close attention to family habits makes it useful reading for anyone interested in older ideas about upbringing.