Instead of a mad wife locked in the attic, wealthy businessman Richard Carter has a wife he cannot keep home at all. Isabelle Carter, 41, runs off with her son’s best friend, Anthony Pope, 26.
Richard enlists the help of governess-secretary Harriet Field to keep the scandal from hurting his children.
Harriet is eager to help the employer she adores, but a scandal in her own past makes her bow to pressure when the dastardly Blondin takes an interest in the emotionally vulnerable Nina Carter.
Richard becomes increasingly dependent on Harriet’s managerial skills to keep the household running and make it possible for him to put through a big business deal.
Haughty dowager Madame Carter, who always feared Harriet would marry her grandson begins to worry that her son is giving Harriet too much attention. And grandson Ward, who only 5 years younger than Harriet, fancies himself in love with her.
When Isabelle conveniently dies during an operation in Europe, Richard marries Harriet in a strictly business arrangement.
There’s no need to tell you how the story turns out in this all-too-predictable novel.
The novel is not badly written, but the basic story line has been told too many times for it to have any real attraction for today’s readers.
Harriet and the Piper
by Kathleen Norris
Project Gutenberg ebook #5006
1920 bestseller #10
My grade: B-
© 2014 Linda Gorton Aragoni
