The Well in the Desert / An Old Legend of the House of Arundel

A devotional preface frames a historical narrative set in a medieval household where an orphaned child, a devoted attendant, and a proud noblewoman illuminate competing claims of mercy, duty, and pride. Scenes of domestic work, ceremonial reception, and private prayer reveal characters' inner struggles and acts of charity, while family secrets and loyalties gradually surface. Religious imagery and reflections on providence and spiritual thirst recur throughout, linking everyday incidents to moral lessons. The work alternates intimate domestic episodes with broader moral and theological commentary, following how personal sacrifice, social hierarchy, and faith shape outcomes for several interconnected lives.