Vera, by Elizabeth von Arnim

Vera / Elizabeth von Arnim
London: Virago, 2006, c1921.
336 p.

Here's a reread that features both a spinster and a terrible marriage! I first read this years ago, but wanted to reread, and found that I'd forgotten a lot of it. 

This is Von Arnim's novel which had a lot of scandal around it; it was rumoured to be drawn from her terrible second marriage to Francis Russell, Earl Russell and older brother of Bertrand. 

The setup is this: Lucy Entwhistle, 22, has been living with her father all her life; however, he's just died. She is in the garden taking a break from the upset in the house (he just died that very morning) and along the road comes sweaty Everard Wemyss, 45 and desperate for someone to talk to. He pushes his way in, seeing in Lucy someone who will listen to him. He has his own troubles - his wife Vera has just died. But, Vera's death is suspicious, a potential suicide, and the scandal means he has to take a few weeks to rusticate and seem to be grieving even while he mostly seems annoyed and frustrated by having to change his routine because of Vera's selfishness. 

Lucy doesn't know any of this (yet). She is in shock, and the only other person with her is her spinster aunt, Dorothy Entwhistle. Aunt Dot expects Lucy to come and live with her, which she does for a short time. But Wemyss has given her the rush, and wants to marry her before his proscribed year of mourning is up. Miss Entwhistle finds she doesn't like him, but Lucy is bowled over, and there's not much to do but support them. 

Miss Entwhistle's instincts were correct, however, and after their quick marriage, Lucy finds she is constantly walking on eggshells so as not to upset Wemyss and his multitude of unspoken expectations. They move from his city house to the country house where Vera died, and in response to Lucy's discomfort he tells her she's being neurotic. Everyone must do what he says, and think what he thinks, and focus on his comfort above all -- Miss Entwhistle, coming down to the house when he is away, when Lucy falls ill, finds that she is not at all comfortable or welcome there, having her own mind and a backbone. 

This story is ploddingly terrifying; Wemyss is so selfish and narcissistic, and his nature is revealed slowly, step by step as we see more and more of his natural behaviour and self-justification for abusive interactions. And we also see how weak Lucy is and how malleable. I hated Wemyss, wanted to drag Lucy out by her ear, and loved Miss Entwhistle and hoped for better days ahead. Quite a powerful read, dark and unrelenting. Whew!