The Works of George W. M. Reynolds

# "Lady Saxondale's Crimes," Volume XI

The Works of George W. M. Reynolds

This volume contains the domestic intrigue melodrama "Lady Saxondale's Crimes," set in 1825 at Saxondale Castle in Lincolnshire. The narrative opens with an extensive description of the castle's architecture and grounds, then turns to plot: elderly Lord Saxondale, once a childless widower with his profligate nephew Ralph Farefield as heir, discovers Ralph's debauched vices—gaming, seduction, usury, and hints of patricide. Saxondale expels Ralph with a terse letter and subsequently shocks everyone by marrying a very young woman, by whom he has three children, dramatically altering the succession. The subsequent chapters trace interwoven plots involving family secrets, inheritance disputes, operatic society scenes, and mysterious intrigues. Key locations include cottages, country lodges, London drawing rooms, and the castle's hidden chapel with ancient vaults. Characters include Angela Vivaldi, various lawyers and servants, and shadowy figures operating behind scenes—all entangled in fabricated schemes, stolen interviews, and revelations promised across thirty-six chapters.