Thirty Years Since; or, The Ruined Family

Two young men share a carriage from London to the fictional village of Emberton early on a late August morning. One is a Captain Delaware of the navy, recently returned from an enforced sojourn in Sicily. The other is more mysterious. He goes by the name of Burrell. The initial impression is of that detestable breed: the dandy. Conversation is sparse during the journey, but after the stranger alights at a leased cottage, it becomes apparent that his destination is actually the estate of Captain Delaware's reclusive father. The fates of the two young men are intertwined, through fraud, murder, exile and love. (Summary by LynneT)