Cynthia Harnett's 'The Great House' 1949

 

Methuen first edition - 1949

That's my concentrated reading of Cynthia Harnett's historical novels done; that is, until I can track down a first edition, dust wrappered copy of Stars of Fortune (Methuen, 1956) - at a sensible price.

The story, set in 1690 in the reign of William III and Mary II, concerns the prospective building of a new house by the Thames at Ladybourne near Henley. Barbara and the two-years'-older Geoffrey are the children of an architect employed by Sir Humphrey Ainsley to tear down an old mansion and build a new 'modern' one on the same site. Geoffrey has set his heart on going to Oxford University as Sir Christopher Wren had done. The latter was a friend of their father's and Geoffrey's hero. So, off they set - first by boat up the Thames to Isleworth. The author describes the buildings and scenery on either side of the river such as Wren's recent Chelsea Hospital, showing considerable and accurate research. From Isleworth they go on horseback, crossing the dreaded Hounslow Heath, to the Wheatsheaf Inn at Ladybourne. Again, the description of the stop at a blacksmith's to re-shoe a horse, the contents - furniture, fireplace and utensils - of the Inn and the character of the female innkeeper, Mrs Jarvis, are well drawn. I particularly liked the chapter in which her Grace of Cleveland (the late Charles II's most famous paramour, Barbara Villiers) and her real-life companion, a highwayman, actor and adventurer, Cardonell Goodman, who dances with young Barbara in high-topped riding boots, turned up at the Inn.

The father returns to London, as Sir Humphrey is delayed in Rome due to an illness. Both youngsters, now based at the Wheatsheaf, make the most of their freedom, Geoffrey's tutoring by the local clergyman, Parson Hayward, notwithstanding. Although the plan of Sir Humphrey and their father is to demolish the old house, Sir Humphrey's mother, old Lady Ainsley lives there with his daughter, Elizabeth. Neither want to leave the old home. 

The crux of the story comes when Barbara and Geoffrey go wandering in the park of the old mansion. A picnic near the river with Mrs Jarvis leaves Geoffrey spellbound. The ground sloped gently downhill, a sunny expanse of grass broken by great trees, oak and ash and beech. They left the track and plunged suddenly over the hill-side. It became much steeper and between the trees they could see the glint of water. But after a few moments the ground flattened out again, and they found themselves on a broad natural terrace, sunny and sheltered, with a glimpse of the river curving away through the valley below.

It soon becomes clear that it was an ideal site for the new house. The rest of the tale depicts Geoffrey's designs on paper, building on his father's original drawings, and then both youngsters actually laying out the ground-plan of the house on the terrace.

When Geoffrey saves Elizabeth from drowning in the Thames, both children are invited to stay at the old mansion by Lady Ainsley. Here they find out who the lady in black at the window was (they had glimpsed her on their first visit there with their father). She is Mad Margot, a 'disturbed' French companion of Elizabeth's dead mother. Abnormally devoted to the latter, she goes crazy when she catches Elizabeth trying on her late mother's dress. Soon after, the same room catches fire and - once again - Geoffrey is the hero in saving any conflagration. Mad Margo  had set the room alight by piling up material, including the dress, and setting fire to it. Had Cynthia Harnett read Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca (1938)? as the similarity to Mrs Danvers in that novel is  striking.

All's well that ends well. Sir Humphrey returns from Italy and travels down to Ladybourne with the youngsters' father (he is never named). Both are convinced by Geoffrey's idea to use a totally different site, so old Lady Ainsley and Elizabeth can breathe a sigh of relief! Moreover, the hero Geoffrey, a very brave boy, can look forward to going to Oxford.

As with all the other novels to come, the author has a Postscript. Here she suggests the reader goes back for another peep at the pictures...all the things in them are real - the actual articles that were generally used at that time. She then points out particular scenes, buildings and objects for closer study. Apart from the final novel, The Writing on the Hearth, the author drew all the illustrations. This is a major reason not only for the books' charm but also as a stimulus to find out more about the lives and objects of the times she wrote about.

One thought struck me, after reading all five novels. Where are the mothers of the main characters? In The Great House (1949), Barbara and Geoffrey's mother has died of the smallpox in the previous year, as has Elizabeth's mother. In Ring Out Bow Bells (1953), both parents are dead and grandfather is in charge. In The Load of Unicorn (1959), Benedict's mother is dead; and in The Writing on the Hearth (1971), again both parents are dead and only an unpleasant stepfather looks after Stephen and Lys. Just Nicholas in The Wool-Pack  (1951) has a mother, and she is not described in such a positive light as his father. Did the author have a problem with mothers?! Certainly the fathers, if still alive, are painted in admiring colours.