Great Possessions
About This Book
The novel opens with the unexpected settlement of a celebrated man's estate and traces how that disposition reshapes the lives of a young widow, her circle, and a spirited ward, drawing them into questions of inheritance, reputation and conscience. Interwoven episodes in Florence, society seasons and rural estates reveal romantic entanglements, rivalries with a commanding older woman, legal and moral scruples, and the spread and consequences of a persistent slander. Central figures confront choices about loyalty, temptation and public judgment while secrets, appeals to conscience, and shifting alliances determine who gains power and who suffers loss.