The Mary Elizabeth Braddon Library

Vixen Volume 2 Chapter 13 - Crying For the Moon

In which the somber clouds of a rainy New Year’s Day in the Forest cast a melancholic shadow over the lives of the dwellers at the Abbey, revealing the tender yet troubled affections of Violet Tempest, a spirited young lady who wrestles with the weight of past sorrows and present refusals. Amidst restrained conversations and the flickering glow of the hearth, themes of love, duty, and defiance unfold with a gentle poignancy, as the characters navigate delicate relationships and unspoken hopes beneath winter’s hush.

Vixen Volume 2 Chapter 12 - Faided in Music

In which Mrs. Winstanley attends a splendid New Year's Eve dinner at Ashbourne, where music, social intrigue, and reflections upon the passage of time intertwine beneath the soft glow of moonlight and the chiming of distant bells. Amidst the company’s varied conversation—from agriculture to romance—Vixen and Roderick share a tender, contemplative moment on the terrace, their thoughts lingering on the past even as a new year dawns.

Vixen Volume 2 Chapter 11 - Rorie Objects to Duets

In which a merry dinner at the Abbey House reveals the shifting manners and alliances of a country set newly stirred by London influences, with young hearts and keen glances entangling beneath the gleam of polished talk and duet singing. Meanwhile, amidst festive hospitality and whispered politics, Violet Tempest and her acquaintances navigate the nuanced borders of affection, rivalry, and social expectation against the backdrop of a changing season and an uneasy peace.

Vixen Volume 2 Chapter 10 - Something Like A Ride

In which the arrival of Lord Mallow breathes a gentle brightness into the melancholy household, inspiring unexpected musical harmony and prompting a spirited ride through the enchanting yet challenging Forest. The day's expedition reveals both the wild beauty of the landscape and a subtle thawing of estranged relationships, all under the watchful eyes of nature’s ancient sentinels.

Vixen Volume 2 Chapter 9 - The Owner of Bullfinch

In which the orderly transformation of Abbey House under Captain Winstanley’s direction reveals the poignancy of old affections and new social etiquettes, while Violet Tempest navigates the uneasy advances of her mother’s guests with a guarded spirit and a sharp tongue. Amidst refined dinners and genteel visits, the arrival of Lord Mallow, a robust Irish nobleman and old comrade of the Captain, stirs in Violet a familiar unease, as she contemplates her place in a world she views with sceptical eyes.