by Edith Wharton (Author)
With her routine in the quiet village of North Dormer, Charity Royall is becoming bored. Lucius Harney, a visiting architect, makes an unwanted approach to her. Mr. Royall decides not to marry Charity and kicks Lucius out of his home. After leaving the city, Lucius moves to a nearby village. A Nettleton abandoned home is where Charity and Lucius, two lovers, first meet. Charity experiences panic after spotting Lucius at a social gathering with Annabel Balch, a member of the local society. Charity suffers verbal abuse from Mr. Royall, which makes her feel extremely ashamed and drives her to fall into Lucius' arms. Despite committing to marry Charity, Lucius takes a leave of absence to relocate. Charity notices the poverty that has affected the locals as she and her family are vacationing at the Mountain. She promises that she will take all necessary steps to prevent her child from growing up in poverty. She goes back home intending to support her kid by becoming a prostitute. She runs across Mr. Royall again along the road, and they decide to get married.