Elinor Wyllys

Three years after the story of Elinor Wyllys seemed to pause, Longbridge reopens in a world altered by marriage, travel, diplomacy, study abroad, and the restless churn of speculation and railroads. The village has grown richer and more unstable at once, its familiar families scattered westward, its old landmarks shadowed by new stores, rising property values, and the boom-and-bust spirit of the age. Against this changing backdrop, Charlie returns home transformed from boy to bearded young man, and his reunion with Mrs. Hubbard and Miss Patsey restores the warmth of the humble cottage at Wyllys-Roof. Homecoming, family talk, and the contrast between European art and practical domestic wisdom deepen the novel's blend of humor, affection, and social observation. Meanwhile, a crowded steamboat journey introduces a lively cross-section of passengers, satirizing vanity, pretension, and the comic bustle of American travel. As gossip, old attachments, and family fortunes collide, the suspense sharpens around the mysterious sailor claiming to be William Stanley. His knowledge of the Stanley household is persuasive, yet doubts remain, and the household is left suspended between hope and suspicion. In the midst of this strain, Mrs. George Wyllys makes a startling confession to Agnes: worn by grief and burdened by her children's needs, she is considering remarriage for their sake. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.