Clara Reeve's 1791 novel tells the stories of childhood friends Frances Darnford and Rachel Strictland, both of whom have lived hard lives as the virtuous wives of improvident and immoral husbands, and of another tragic widow Isabella di Soranzo. The introduction to this new edition of Reeve's novel challenges accepted critical views of Reeve's writing and includes newly unearthed material about the author's life.… (more)