A waif's progress
by Rhoda Broughton (1840–1920)
- Free to read
- 6 hours to read
- 35 chapters
- Reading level: 8th & 9th grade
"A Waif's Progress" by Rhoda Broughton is a Victorian novel written in the late 19th century. The story revolves around a young woman, Bonnybell Ransome, who finds herself in a precarious situation after the death of her mother, Claire. Without a family to turn to, she becomes thrust into the lives of the Tancred family, dealing with issues of class, morality, and the complexities of human relationships. The opening of the novel introduces the reader to the Tancred couple, who engage in a witty, yet somewhat strained, breakfast conversation about Bonnybell's arrival. Through their dialogue, we learn about Bonnybell's past, including the dubious reputation of her mother and her own uncertain future. Mr. and Mrs. Tancred exhibit a mix of curiosity and reluctance as they consider the moral implications of taking Bonnybell into their home. This sets the stage for a story that will explore themes of redemption, the social dynamics of the period, and the struggles faced by a young woman navigating a world laden with judgment and assumptions.
- Orphans
- Young women
- Man-woman relationships
- England · Social life and customs · 20th century
Read the opening
Chapter I
“Well?” she asked.
From the other end of the breakfast-table he returned—“Well?” and for several minutes this exchange of monosyllables seemed going to be the end—it was not quite the beginning—of the conversation that had sprung from a letter, and to the perusal or reperusal of that letter Mrs. Tancred had returned.
“Here is another instance of Felicity’s talent for laying her cuckoo’s egg in other people’s nests!” she said presently with a dryish smile. “There never was a woman who did more good—by proxy—than your sister.”
Mr. Tancred gave as much acquiescence as lay in silence to his wife’s indictment. If you are credited with having married a woman for her money, and can never for one whole minute forget it, you must acquiesce in many statements from which you differ far more widely than he did from the one in question.
“Why cannot she keep the girl herself?”
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About this edition
This free edition of A waif's progress by Rhoda Broughton comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #73654, released 2024-05-20. 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: Novels, British Literature.
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