Summary:
"A Double Knot" by George Manville Fenn is a novel written in the late 19th century. The book explores themes of love, betrayal, and societal expectations through the lives of its central characters, primarily focusing on a young woman named Mary Riversley and her tumultuous relationships with her family and potential suitors. The opening of the story begins with an intense and emotional prologue that sets the stage for Mary's struggles. She calls out for her mother, who responds coldly, indicating a rift between them that is exacerbated by the shame of an unplanned pregnancy. The narrative unfolds a heartbreaking dialogue between Mary and her mother that reveals deep feelings of betrayal and despair, as Mary defends her love for the man who has left her in this predicament. As the prologue progresses, it becomes clear that Mary's fate is interwoven with her family’s dark past and her mother's harshness, amplifying the sense of a trapped existence that looms over Mary's character. (This is an automatically generated summary.)