A Leaf in the Wind

A well written, historical Cinderella story. A young woman battles against the evils of poverty, ignorance and extremely limited opportunity. Young Jennie works in a cat's meat shop. She lives with her sluttish mother and drunken, abusive stepfather in a dingy terraced house. When Jenny's employer replaces her with cheaper labor, her stepfather's violent abuse leaves her with no safe alternative but marriage. The groom is a widowed clerk that she met at Chapel. The marriage is no escape from fear and hardship. Unhappily, Jenny's husband is robbed and murdered. Jenny's spiteful sister-in-law has inherited all, and refuses to house Jenny. This bad turn becomes a good turn, when Jenny is hired by the nouveau riche, class-conscious Bleasdale family. Newly engaged, tempetuous Sarah Bleasdale needs a maid. Sarah's betrothed is Paul Tunstall, a wealthy gentleman and soldier turned landowner. Eventually, Paul finds more to admire and love in steadfast Jenny, than in the vain, childish Sarah. The story progresses through a marriage, a miscarriage, a tragic injury, sad departures and ultimately a joyous reunion. We discover who murdered Jenny's husband, the identity of Jenny's biological father and the skewed nature of morality in this society. Recommended.