The Love Knot

Followingthedeathofherseventeen-year-oldmotherinchildbirth,LeonieLynchisbroughtupinLondon'sEastgateStreetbyfosterparentsthroughtheauspicesofhergodmother,theredoubtableMrsDodd,herlivingexpensesprovidedforbyheryoungmother'sfriend,LadyAngelaBentick.MrsDoddturnstoLadyAngelawhenhergodchildisnearinghereighteenthbirthday.LadyAngelarunsafashionablenursinghomeandcanprovideLeoniewithaprofession,whilstMrsDoddoffersheraccommodation.UponjoiningLadyAngela'sstaffasanurse,Leoniemeetsourtwootherheroines-MercyCordelandDorindaMontgomery.Mercygrewupatthefamilyhome,CordelCourtinSomerset,andshortlyafterherseventeenthbirthday,wasbroughtuptoLondonbyherstepmotherfortheLondonSeason.DorindaMontgomery,ontheotherhand,hashardlyriddenupanddownRottenRowmorethanahalfadozentimesbeforeshehascapturedtheheartofeverymasheraroundtown,andearnsthesobriquet'DorindaBlue.'Withindayssheisafamousmemberofthedemi-monde,withherownhouseandcarriageinStJohn'sWood.Meanwhile,MercyCordelishardputtofindadancingpartner.Thatsheeventuallyfindsahusbandinthehard-bitten,hard-ridingJohnBrancasterisasourceofhappyamazementtoher.Threesuchverydifferentyoungwomen,andyetSocietyseemstorewardDorindaMontgomerymorethanitdoesthevirtuousgirlpushedintomarriagewithasuitablyolderhusband.Certainly,thisishowitseemstoLeonieLynch,theonlyoneofthethreewhohasquitemadeuphermindtodedicateherselftosomethingotherthanmarriage...