The Cardinal Moth

"The Cardinal Moth" by Fred M. White is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story unfolds around Sir Clement Frobisher, a wealthy orchid enthusiast, who discovers a rare flower known as the Cardinal Moth and becomes embroiled in intrigue, as his obsession with beautiful orchids draws various characters into a web of deceit, crime, and possibly murder. The characters include the sinister Paul Lopez, who presents the mysterious flower, and Angela, Frobisher's ward, who finds herself caught in the machinations surrounding the orchid. The opening of the novel introduces readers to Sir Clement Frobisher in his lavish orchid-house, indulging in the beauty of his floral creations while contemplating his wealth and reputation. As he converses with his acquaintance Paul Lopez, excitement mounts when Lopez presents him with the Cardinal Moth. However, the delight quickly turns to tension when the terrified butler, Hafid, overhears their conversation and fears the flower's dark history. Hafid's frantic warnings hint at a deeper, menacing narrative involving the flower, setting the scene for the mysterious and possibly fatal unfolding of events centered around the prized orchid. With layers of intrigue established early on, readers are drawn into a world where beauty and danger intertwine. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Fred Merrick White (1859–1935) wrote a number of novels and short stories under the name "Fred M. White" including the six "Doom of London" science-fiction stories, in which various catastrophes beset London. These include The Four Days' Night (1903), in which London is beset by a massive killer smog; The Dust of Death (1903), in which diphtheria infects the city, spreading from refuse tips and sewers; and The Four White Days (1903), in which a sudden and deep winter paralyses the city under snow and ice. These six stories all first appeared in Pearson's Magazine, and were illustrated by Warwick Goble. He was also a pioneer of the spy story, and in 2003, his series The Romance of the Secret Service Fund was edited by Douglas G. Greene and published by Battered Silicon Dispatch Box.