Lodore

In a world shaped by faded aristocracy, frontier solitude, and dangerous memory, family loyalty becomes both refuge and burden. In Longfield, the Fitzhenrys live on as a once-noble name, shadowed by Lord Lodore's rise, mystery, and disappearance, while his sister Elizabeth clings to an idealized vision of the brother she has never truly lost. Across the Atlantic, Mr. Fitzhenry, an Englishman settled in the Illinois wilderness, transforms exile into purpose through labor, learning, and the steady love of his remarkable daughter, whose beauty, obedience, and affection become the center of his life. Yet the past refuses to stay buried. A letter from an old connection unsettles Lord Lodore in London, drawing him back into unresolved passion and suspicion. When he introduces Cornelia to a Polish countess and her son Casimir, new alliances form under a cloud of jealousy, pride, and silent hostility. As personal histories collide, the novel explores longing, displacement, secrecy, and the fragile order people build against the claims of the heart. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.