The Marquis de Villemer by George Sand (1860)

This is very much in the standard run of nineteenth century French novels; it is Sand not particularly distinguishing herself, in contrast to how strongly she has done so in other entries in her bibliography. That is not to say that it is in any way a poor read, or a dull one; simply, it does not extend its head above the parapet sufficiently to gain the distinction that is sometimes the quarter of this author. This is the story of a poor but aristocratically-connected young woman, who has no interest in attempting the trappings of wealth. She works as reader-aloud to a marchioness who herself is poorer than she might be through the extravagance of her eldest son, a profligate duke. The marchioness' younger son, the marquis, a quieter, less robust, more academic type, has put in place a financial scheme which will pay his brother's debts, disallow him to indulge any more, and give their mother just enough to be comfortable in the manner to which she is accustomed. He has done himself down in the process, and is a much poorer man now than he might have been, but happier because the precarious situation has been repaired. Caroline, our heroine, goes through a typical-for-the-times arc of an attempt on her virtue by the duke, a growing understanding that she and the marquis are soulmates, a misunderstanding which causes the marchioness to reject her, a running away to peasant connections in the Cevennes and an interlude in a dramatic, perilous and mountainous landscape, and a last, desperate reconciliation with the marquis with his health and life at stake. Interposed are young society schemers, marriage plan shenanigans, joyful rustics, Caroline's sister struggling as a widow with four young children, and other accoutrements of the quintessential plot of the times. Whilst this was not truly an inspiring novel, it was still enjoyable as the recognisable product of a brilliant pen at its more moderate pitch.