The Argosy, Vol. 43

# Lady Grace

This excerpt from Mrs. Henry Wood's serial novel Lady Grace (published June 1887 in The Argos) focuses on domestic drama and romantic complications among interconnected families. Mary Dynevor has reluctantly accepted a marriage proposal from Everard Wilmot, an embassy attaché and eldest son of Sir John Wilmot, despite harboring unacknowledged feelings for Charles Baumgarten. When Sir Everard arrives at her aunt Miss Dynevor's drawing room in Eaton Place, Mary nearly faints upon seeing him—revealing emotional turmoil beneath her composed surface. The scene depicts genteel Victorian society: Charles Baumgarten (a barrister), the irreverent Dynevor daughters Regina and Grace, and their brother Richard engage in witty banter about their aunt's rheumatism and romantic prospects, interrupted by the Sub-dean's stern entrance and Sir Everard's arrival. The narrative centers on unspoken affections, family hierarchies, and marriage negotiations among the professional and clerical classes.