Frank Wentworth, a young and earnest curate in the quiet town of Carlingford, faces a crisis of conscience. Should he accept a wealthy living that would secure his future but compromise his principles? Complicating matters is his growing attachment to Lucy Wodehouse, a spirited woman whose family harbors secrets of their own. When Frank’s wayward brother Jack reappears, dragging old scandals into the open, the entire town is thrown into turmoil. With its sharp social observation and tender romance, this story of integrity, love, and redemption feels as fresh today as when it was first written. Faithfully rendered in modern English, this retelling preserves the heart of Oliphant’s classic while making it accessible to a new generation. Part of Timeless Classics.