Armadale Book the first - Chapter I, pt 1

In which a conscientious clergyman, Mr. Brock, reflects upon his long acquaintance with Mrs. Armadale and her son Allan, whose unworldly character and love of the sea have marked their secluded life on the Somersetshire coast. The peaceful routine is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious and fever-stricken stranger named Ozias Midwinter, whose presence and secretive manner provoke both curiosity and unease among the villagers.