A House Divided Against Itself

A House Divided Against Itself begins with a family already under strain, where inheritance, duty, and private feeling collide in a respectable household full of hidden fractures. In Bordighera, Frances Waring lives a secluded, carefully ordered life shaped by thrift, practical skill, and quiet endurance, while her cultivated but enigmatic father keeps a household sustained by loyal servants and shadowed by uncertainty. Into this stillness comes movement: Tasie Durant's lively visit brings books, news, and the first breath of social change, even as a troubled man's return hints at deeper unrest. That unrest soon erupts into open conflict when the gossiping local circle learns the truth about Mr. Waring's domestic life and turns scandal into a moral campaign. Concern for Frances mixes with curiosity and self-importance as the community decides to intervene. The tension deepens when Frances's half-brother Markham appears, reviving old resentments and exposing the struggle between paternal authority, modern confidence, and divided loyalties. As Constance navigates the evening with ease and Waring withdraws in bitterness, the novel reveals a world ruled by pride, performance, and the painful cost of family division. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.