And Five Were Foolish

A linked collection of short stories, each centered on a different woman and the social complications that surround her, follows a succession of romantic misadventures, misunderstandings, and genteel intrigues. Episodes turn on misplaced letters, assumed identities, wills and engagements, and polished social set-pieces that produce comic embarrassment as well as tender reconciliation. Witty, urbane narration and recurring acquaintances knit the pieces together, while scenes alternate between light farce and quieter sentiment to examine pride, loyalty, and the delicate mechanics of courtship within a genteel social milieu.