Frances Kane's Fortune

"Frances Kane’s Fortune" by L. T. Meade is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story revolves around Frances Kane, a practical and determined young woman, who manages her father's dilapidated estate while grappling with a sense of duty and the complexities of her heartrending past. As an intriguing mix of personal sacrifice and romantic tension unfolds, the narrative suggests themes of resilience and the societal pressures on women during this period. The opening of the novel introduces a sunny June day in the garden where Frances is engaged in her usual tasks, demonstrating both her industriousness and preoccupation with the family's financial plight. After receiving a letter that she decides to hold off on reading, Frances interacts with her father, Squire Kane, who brings exciting news regarding the arrival of a young girl named "Fluff," the daughter of a deceased family friend. This news is quickly overshadowed by Frances's own complicated feelings regarding Philip Arnold, a past love who has now reemerged in her life. The narrative sets the stage for Frances's inner struggle between her responsibilities to her father and her longing for personal happiness, suggesting that forthcoming events may force her to make difficult choices about love and duty. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Elizabeth Thomasina Meade Smith (1844–1914), writing under the pseudonym L. T. Meade, was a prolific writer of girls' stories. She was born in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland, daughter of Rev. R. T. Meade, of Nohoval, County Cork. She later moved to London, where she married Alfred Toulmin Smith in September 1879.