The Rosary – F. Louisa Barclay – Paper Books

The Rosary by Florence L. Barclay, first published in 1909. The Rosary tells the story of Jane Champion and Garth Dalmain. The Honourable Jane is plain, exceedingly frank, and a fiercely loyal friend. In the words of Ms. Barclay, "She had once been described, by one who saw below the surface, as a perfectly beautiful woman in an absolutely plain shell." Garth Dalmain, the artistic and sensitive hero, is as blessed in appearance as Jane is not. He is the fun, gifted bachelor that every woman is out to catch. After years of friendship, one night Garth hears Jane sing for the first time, and "the veil is lifted". He declares his love to her, but Jane does not believe it will last. Then things get interesting. In digging through these "lost" novels as we do on this site, it's so much fun to find one like this that is truly engrossing from the first pages and as deeply moving as any Brontë or Austen work.