Nicolette :. a tale of old Provence,. by the Baroness Orczy.
Emmuska Orczy, Baroness Orczy (1865-1947)
Category
Books
Date
1922
Materials
Place of origin
London
Collection
Quarry Bank, Cheshire
NT 3216041
Caption
The Worker’s Library holds many books by the authoress Baroness Orczy. Nicolette Deydier and Bertrand, the young Comte de Ventadour, grow-up playing together in the landscape surrounding their respective homes. Nicolette is the only child and heiress of a wealthy merchant father who live in the mas (a large French farm), while Bertrand lives with his widowed mother and grandmother in the partially ruined chateaux. The Ventadour family are an ancient aristocratic family but no longer had any money to maintain the chateaux or their former way of life. The hopes of his Grandmother, the Old Madame, and his mother, the Comtesse, rely on Bertrand marrying a wife with money. Since childhood he has been betrothed to his beautiful cousin Rixende on the whim of his rich aunt, who plans to leave her money to Bertrand and Rixende equally only if they marry. He is sent away to Paris for schooling and to join the Kings Guards, already in love with the cousin he has never met and with plans to restore the fortune of his ancient family. Nicolette meanwhile stays in Provence, always waiting to hear stories of her childhood friend. When his aunt passes away prior to the wedding, leaving her entire fortune to Rixende and Bertrand penniless and in debt, Rixende, who never loved her cousin, immediately calls off their wedding leaving Bertrand heartbroken. On his return to Provence, Nicolette confesses her love for him and helps to restore his happiness. Their plans to marry are thwarted though by an old feud between the families and pride on both sides. The Old Madame believes that marrying outside of the aristocracy would be shameful for the family, while Deydier is wary of them using Nicolette for her wealth. With the rise of the middle classes during the nineteenth century, class became a much talked about issue. Marriages between wealthy middle-class families and poor aristocracy became common as a way of improving the name and fortune of both families. This caused a lot of anxiety however, particularly for those who felt that class boundaries had become blurred. Furthermore, in the first few decades of the nineteenth century, particularly following WW1 when this book was written, many stately homes were suffering from a lack of investment, the impact of death duties, and starting to fall into ruin. Despite being a work of historical fiction, Nicolette reflects on and explores many of the anxieties familiar to a contemporary audience. That is not the book’s only charm however, the descriptions of the countryside and way of life of Old Provence are fascinating.
Summary
Bibliographic description
319 p. ;. 8vo.,. 19 cm. Provenance: Blue oval rubber stamp on inside front cover and flyleaf: `Styal Village Club Library'. Old no.: 149. Old NT inventory number at rear: `879'. Binding: Publisher's case, covered in blue cloth, with black lettering and decorations on spine and front cover, and illustration on front. Dirty.
Makers and roles
Emmuska Orczy, Baroness Orczy (1865-1947)