Vixen

Violet "Vixen" Tempest wakes determined to leave Abbey House behind, convinced her presence only worsens the pain and conflict she has brought to the household. But Captain Winstanley has already arranged her exile: she is to be sent to Jersey, under the supervision of his aunt and Miss Skipwith, far from the Forest, her companions, and the life she loves. Their confrontation is cold and bitter, exposing the depth of their mutual hostility, yet Violet's defiance gives way to the grim realization that departure may be the only escape from misery. She endures wrenching farewells to her mother, her horse Arion, her dog Argus, and loyal Phoebe before traveling by carriage, then by crowded, cheerless sea crossing, grieving as though she is being severed from home forever. Back at Abbey House and Ashbourne, absence leaves its own ache: the household seems dimmer without Violet, while Mrs. Winstanley sinks deeper into loneliness and decline, hiding her unhappiness behind tea, embroidery, and the role of invalid. Meanwhile, Lady Mabel's marriage preparations unfold amid luxury and social display, even as she suffers over the failure of her poetry and the humiliating reviews of The Tragedy of a Sceptic Soul. In this world of pride, rivalry, and wounded feeling, every comfort carries a cost. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.