The Spoils of Poynton

"The Spoils of Poynton" by Henry James is a novel first published in 1896-1897. It centers on a magnificent collection of art and furniture at an English country house and the three people caught in conflict over it. Mrs. Gereth, a widow who spent decades assembling the treasures, faces losing them when her son Owen plans to marry someone she considers tasteless. Fleda Vetch, an intelligent young woman, becomes entangled in the family drama—sympathetic to Mrs. Gereth yet falling in love with Owen herself. The struggle intensifies as loyalties shift and passions clash.

The Spoils of Poynton, by Henry James. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #33325.