The Professor’s Wife and Other Stories

Three very short light-hearted romances from the most popular of our Christian authors of Victorian fiction. In the first story, Professor Leigh has a very jaded view of female usefulness. So when he receives a letter from a dying friend asking him to marry his daughter, Blossom, he realises his work on Theophrastus and Menander means far more to him than an interview with Blossom Fairlie. When he agrees to take her, as long as she promises not to interfere with his work, he is certainly in for a surprise!

In the second story we read, “In the village of Bramblehurst, the month of May is to be welcomed happily, right royally. All the morning the children have been going from house to house with garlands of May flowers; but no young foot has crossed the threshold of Grigworthy Grange. The children are afraid of Miss Grigworthy, and keep out of her vicinity, devoted parishioner as the good Vicar knows her to be.” The young Vicar has eyes for Miss Grigworthy’s niece Violet, but the aunt only has time for morbid books like Lamentations Concerning Life. What can she know of love? And will she prevent Violet’s marriage?

In the third story, Ronald Whyte is a farmer, engaged to Sylvia Gibson. One evening he overhears Sylvia’s sisters saying, “Poor Sylvia! Do you really think, Winnie, that the marriage will ever come off? He is not half good enough for her. I cannot think how she brought herself to say ‘yes.’ The man is so thoroughly vulgar, so uncultured. He jars upon her dreadfully. I am afraid she is entering upon lifelong misery in accepting him.” Ronald Whyte immediately realises the only thing he can do is tell Sylvia that the wedding is off. She agrees, and returns the ring.