The first of, I think, the only two novels she published before her very early death.
A simple story about a 19th century ‘middle class’ but impoverished girl, who can only find work as a governess. Very much about class in the 19th century.
She works for two families, but is sacked by the first. They are very similar upper middle class families, expecting their kids to be pushed further up the social scale by the governess, whose values are mainly Christian, so this doesn’t work. However at her 2nd workplace she meets a curate, the Emma-borrowed name Mr Weston, and they marry and live happily ever after. Before this happens, Agnes meets one of her former pupils who has married up the class ladder but very unhappily.
I was looking for The Tenant of Wildfell Hall but couldn’t find it. Quite good and not too long for a 19th century novel.
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