Capricious Caroline

About this book

[...]Ocean! No, no! If the St. John did not make her port here, she has been telegraphed there. The strongest wind cannot stagger a Spirit; it is a Spirit's breath. A just man's purpose cannot be split on any Grampus or material rock, but itself will split rocks till it succeeds. The verses addressed to Columbus, dying, may, with slight alterations, be applied to the passengers of the St. John: -[...]. [...]that he was glad to be away from London again even for a little while; glad to dissociate his thoughts from that element of his life that belonged to the world in which Camilla Lancing lived. Not that he expected to be able to put her out of his thoughts altogether, for even in the dull, prosaic, unlovely surroundings of the factory, remembrance of this woman haunted him in so tangible a way that at times he could almost have imagined she was close beside him. And on this occasion he carried with him new matter for thought where Camilla was concerned. A new element had crept into his heart. If he shut his eyes he could see with painful distinctness Camilla floating round that large room held in the arms of another man. He knew perfectly well that this other man was no more to her than the floor on which she danced, but that did not affect the situation as far as he was concerned. He winced and turned hot as he sat alone in the railway carriage whirling away from town, just as he had winced and grown hot the other night, when, like some graceful white leaf borne on a wayward wind, she had lightly skimmed past him, brushing him with her soft, clinging skirts. Her laughing…

Themes & subjects

About the authors

Effie Adelaide Rowlands

1859 – 16 October 1936

Effie Adelaide Maria Henderson was born on 1858/1859 in New South Wales, Australia. She was the second daughter of the English Alexander Henderson (1828–1886) and Maria Nelson. Her sister Caroline Sidney Henderson was born on 9 January 1855. Their parents married on 26 December 1853 in in Hobart, Tasmania, but their marriage wasn't legal, because her father was already married and had not divorced. For that reason, Effie and her sister were illegitimates. Her father formed other families over the years, and she had several half brothers. Her maternal grandfather, Sidney Nelson, was a well-known composer, and her parents worked in his teathre company in Australia. The family moved to England,…

E. Maria Albanesi

1859 – 16 October 1936

Effie Adelaide Maria Henderson was born on 1858/1859 in New South Wales, Australia. She was the second daughter of the English Alexander Henderson (1828–1886) and Maria Nelson. Her sister Caroline Sidney Henderson was born on 9 January 1855. Their parents married on 26 December 1853 in in Hobart, Tasmania, but their marriage wasn't legal, because her father was already married and had not divorced. For that reason, Effie and her sister were illegitimates. Her father formed other families over the years, and she had several half brothers. Her maternal grandfather, Sidney Nelson, was a well-known composer, and her parents worked in his teathre company in Australia. The family moved to England,…