046 - What Happened at Doncaster

In the final installment of Anthony Trollopes six Palliser novels, the unexpected death of Lady Glencora thrusts Plantagenet Palliser, the Duke of Omnium, into the challenging role of single parent to his three children. The eldest, Lord Silverbridge, has just been expelled from Oxford; his younger brother, Gerald, is preparing to enter Cambridge; and the youngest, nineteen-year-old Lady Mary, has foolishly fallen for Francis Tregear, a gentleman with no fortune. Although Glencora had approved of Marys affection before her passing, the Duke remains unaware and is unlikely to endorse it. Complicating matters, Mrs. Finn (formerly Marie Goesler), Glencoras closest confidante, learns of Marys secret and faces a moral dilemma remain loyal to the Duke, who has entrusted her with Lady Marys care, or betray the young womans confidence. Meanwhile, Lord Silverbridge finds himself infatuated with an unsuitable American girl. As the Duke, whose main interests lie in politics and the decimalization of currency, navigates these familial troubles without his wifes guidance, he grapples with the generational divide—a theme Trollope skillfully portrays, even if he never used the term. (Summary by Nicholas Clifford) The other Palliser novels include 1 - Can You Forgive Her? 2 - Phineas Finn, the Irish Member 3 - The Eustace Diamonds 4 - Phineas Redux 5 - The Prime Minister 6 - The Dukes Children.