Lillian's vow

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

76634

Title

Lillian's vow

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

In a Victorian household, timid maid Lillian Leigh faces the tyrannical cruelty of her mistress, Rosamond Raleigh. Haunted by a mysterious apparition and threatened by a sinister suitor, Lillian must navigate a web of secrets, supernatural terror, and social intrigue to survive.

Summary up to 500 words

In Mrs. E. Burke Collins' *Lillian's Vow*, a young and timid orphan named Lillian Leigh secures a position as a companion to the wealthy but capricious Rosamond Raleigh. Upon arriving at the Raleigh mansion, Lillian quickly discovers that her duties extend far beyond simple companionship; she is expected to perform menial tasks like brushing Rosamond's hair for hours and standing by the fire all night. Rosamond, a spoiled and cruel young woman, treats Lillian with disdain, often shouting at her and demanding impossible obedience. The atmosphere in the house is further unnerved by strange occurrences, including a terrifying apparition that haunts Rosamond and her mother, Mrs. Raleigh. This ghost, appearing in a sealed round room, speaks the names 'Lenore' and 'Beware,' causing Rosamond to descend into hysterical terror and eventually flee the house with her mother. Meanwhile, Lillian finds unexpected protection and a potential ally in Jack Lyndon, a handsome journalist and friend of the family, who rescues her from the grasping hand of the family's dark and menacing patriarch, Richard Raleigh. Richard, a man of low morals and high ambition, harbors a deep hatred for the family's reputation and seems to be manipulating events for his own gain. As the story unfolds, Lillian is caught between the fear of the supernatural, the threat of Richard's machinations, and her own desire to escape her oppressive situation. The narrative explores themes of class struggle, the dangers of unchecked female vanity, the presence of evil spirits, and the resilience of the innocent against overwhelming odds. Lillian's journey is one of survival, as she must endure the psychological torment of her mistress and the physical danger posed by the household's malevolent forces while trying to maintain her dignity and hope for a better future.

LLM editorial rating

3.5/5

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Categories

• Dime novels
• Romance fiction