The author of famous stories for children also wrote some books for adults, but the style is much the same, somewhat sentimental, very straight-forward and easy to read. Despite the almost unbelievable good nature of the 34-year-old heroine Emily, one admires her, and cheers for her, and laughs as, without trying, she "lands" the "catch" of the day, a titled lord, a childless widower, who, in his early 50's, wants a wife but doesn't want to have to cater to her. The ever-obliging and cheerful Emily is ideal. The Marquis already has an heir, an obnoxious distant cousin, whose hopes of inheriting are dimmed by the marriage and who sets out to do Emily in. All this makes for a bit of melodrama, which may not feel entirely realistic. The value of the book lies in its commentary on marriage for the upper classes of England in the Victorian era. Well-bred girls of little money have few options open to them, they must snag a husband at any cost, and if they don't, life becomes exceedingly mean. Many men, like the Marquis, marry to get an heir, and don't much care about their wives. They may, like the obnoxious heir, take out their frustrations by beating their wives. Some such wives, as in this instance, get back at their husbands, and that makes for a surprise denouement.