Book Summary and Reviews of AUDREY by MARY JOHNSTON

Book Summary

Audrey, by Mary Johnston, published in 1902, has taken its place with the other successful historical novels of the day.

The scene is laid in Virginia in the early part of the eighteenth century, where Marmaduke Haward, a wealthy young man, rescues a little orphan girl Audrey, whose parents have been killed by the Indians, and makes her his ward. He puts her in the care of the minister Darden, and his wife Deborah, who take charge of her during Haward's absence of ten years in England. Darden proves himself dissolute and Audrey receives but scant kindness from her guardians. Haward returns to his country estate, Fairview, and, upon finding Audrey grown into a girl of wondrous beauty, begins to take a deep interest in her. At this time he is paying his addresses to Mistress Evelyn Bird, a charming woman of wealth and position who really loves him, but hesitates about accepting his advances, fearing they may not be sincere. Hugon, a half-breed trader, whose attentions to Audrey are most distasteful to her, feels he has a rival in Haward and his plot to kill him is only prevented by the prompt action of Audrey and McLean, the store-keeper of Fairview. Haward and Audrey are much together and gossip is already rife, when the former, piqued by Evelyn's refusal to dance with him at the Governor's ball, in a fit of feverish bravado determines to make Audrey his partner at the Palace. In doing this he draws upon himself and upon her the anger of the guests, especially of Evelyn, and Audrey is publicly rebuked in the church the following Sunday. She is completely crushed when she realizes the position in which she has been placed by Haward and her faith in him is destroyed. He has a long illness and upon his recovery endeavors to persuade Audrey that he loves her and wishes her to become his wife, but she eludes him and repulses him on every occasion. Audrey becomes an actress and her beauty and talents bring the world to her feet. Haward is unceasing in his efforts to win back her love and has just succeeded in doing so, when the blow of the assassin Hugon, which was intended for him, is intercepted by Audrey, who sacrifices her life for his.