Cover of Her mother's secret

Her mother's secret

  • Free to read
  • 6 hours to read
  • 49 chapters
  • Reading level: 6th grade

"Her Mother's Secret" by Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story revolves around personal and familial conflicts, particularly focusing on Odalite Force, the protagonist who is torn between her childhood love Leonidas and the pressures exerted by her mother to consider marriage with the older Colonel Angus Anglesea. The novel delves into themes of love, duty, and the sacrifices made for family honor. The opening of the novel introduces us to Odalite as she pleads with her mother, Elfrida Force, not to force her to break off her connection with Leonidas, her childhood friend and love. Elfrida insists that Odalite must embrace her destiny, which may not involve Leonidas, as she tries to prepare her for a more advantageous marital union. As the conversation unfolds, it becomes clear that Odalite is unaware of a deeper family secret that compels her mother to manipulate her daughter’s affections and future. Colonel Anglesea, who has a questionable past, emerges as a suitor, ultimately creating tension between Odalite's desires and her family's expectations. This clash sets the stage for the dramatic struggles Odalite will face between adherence to family honor and her own heart's yearnings.

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  • Fiction

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Chapter I

THE MISTRESS OF MONDREER

"Mother! Oh, mother! it will break my heart!" wailed Odalite, sinking at the lady's feet, and dropping her head into her hands, face downward to the carpet.

The lady gently raised her child, took her in her arms and tenderly caressed her, murmuring, softly:

"No, my own! hearts never break, or one heart, I know, must have broken long ago. Besides," she added, in a firmer tone, "honor must be saved, though hearts be sacrificed."

"'Honor,' mother dear? I do not understand. I do not see what honor has to do with it. Or if it has, I should think that honor would be better saved by my keeping faith with Le than by breaking with him! Oh, mother! mother! it will kill me!" moaned Odalite.

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Contents

Show all 49 chapters
  1. Front Matter
  2. Chapter I
  3. Chapter II
  4. Chapter III
  5. Chapter IV
  6. Chapter V
  7. Chapter VI: "In My Lady's Chamber"
  8. Chapter VII
  9. Chapter VIII
  10. Chapter IX
  11. Chapter X
  12. Chapter XI
  13. Chapter XII
  14. Chapter XIII
  15. Chapter XIV
  16. Chapter XV
  17. Chapter XVI
  18. Chapter XVII
  19. Chapter XVIII
  20. Chapter XIX
  21. Chapter XX
  22. Chapter XXI
  23. Chapter XXII
  24. Chapter XXIII
  25. Chapter XXIV
  26. Chapter XXV
  27. Chapter XXVI
  28. Chapter XXVII
  29. Chapter XXVIII
  30. Chapter XXIX
  31. Chapter XXX
  32. Chapter XXXI
  33. Chapter XXXII
  34. Chapter XXXIII
  35. Chapter XXXIV
  36. Chapter XXXV
  37. Chapter XXXVI: Le and His "Uncle"
  38. Chapter XXXVII
  39. Chapter XXXVIII
  40. Chapter XXXIX
  41. Chapter XL
  42. Chapter XLI
  43. Chapter XLII
  44. Chapter XLIII
  45. Chapter XLIV
  46. Chapter XLV
  47. Chapter XLVI
  48. Chapter XLVII
  49. Chapter XLVIII

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About this edition

This free edition of Her mother's secret by Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #26259, released 2008-08-11. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Romance, Novels, American Literature.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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