The Black Robe Book the First Chapter 1

In which two ladies of contrasting beauty engage in a morning of tea and tender confidences, where young Stella reveals the troubled fascination she feels for a mysterious gentleman encountered at sea, stirring Lady Loring’s protective curiosity and prompting discreet inquiries within their shared circle. Meanwhile, a determined priest named Father Benwell prepares to entrust a grave and urgent commission to a sincere young man, signalling the stirring of unseen forces in the lives they touch.