Publisher's Synopsis
The story opens with small scenes of daily life for our heroine, Betty Desmond. Betty is in her late teens and has never left home. Both of her biological parents died long ago, so Betty has been raised by her stepfather, a clergyman with a weakness for antique books. Her stepfather has done his duty by her, raising Betty to be a moral lady, a contributing member of the community, and a good Christian. He loves her, too, as the narrator obliquely demonstrates for our benefit. In his commitment to not spoiling Betty, though, her stepfather has made a worse mistake: he's made Betty think he doesn't love her. As a result, Betty follows his orders, but gritting her teeth all the while.
