Virago, 1987, 544 p with viii p Introduction by Penelope Fitzgerald. First published 1864.

Frank Wentworth (who appeared as a minor character in The Doctor’s Family) is the permanent curate of the title, in charge of St Roque’s church. As well as his ecclesiastical duties he is engaged in good works, evangelising the bargees of Wharfside in which endeavour he is aided by Miss Lucy Wodehouse. Their appearances together are the subject of warnings to her by an older woman as being liable to gossip. As a perpetual curate Wentworth’s prospects are dependent on either a living turning up elsewhere or the good will of the parish’s Rector.

Unfortunately the new Rector of Carlingford, Mr Morgan, has taken a dislike to Wentworth precisely because of those good works, since he had not sanctioned them. That the previous Rector, Mr Proctor, had done so is neither here nor there. Morgan’s wife has no such objections; her strictures are directed at the hideous carpet installed in the Rectory by the previous incumbent. Of her, Oliphant tells us in an odd unsisterly phrase, “Though she held that elevated position” (wife of the Rector of Carlingford) “she was only a woman, subject to outbreaks of sudden passion, and liable to tears like the rest.” But this is a Victorian novel after all.

Frank’s high church tendencies are somewhat looked down on by his aunts who have the living at Skelmersdale in their gift. Their extended visit to Carlingford coincides with the of the plot.

Frank lodges at Mrs Hadwin’s where he has vouched for a mysterious man going by the name of Tom Smith, who comes and goes by night. Also lurking round Mrs Hadwin’s is Rosa Elsworthy, an orphan taken in by her shopkeeper uncle. She is referred to as a child but later revealed to be seventeen. Finding her at the garden gate as he comes home one evening Frank makes the mistake of escorting her straight home, instructing her uncle to take more care where she is concerned, but is of course seen by those who are out and about. Carlingford is a rumour mill at the best of times and this is a juicy morsel.

A message from his brother’s wife calls him home to Wentworth where Gerald Wentworth, the vicar there, has decided to turn to Rome. Their father is the local squire and greets Frank by “holding out his hand to him as became a British parent.” (Wentworth senior has had various families with successive wives.) With Gerald’s situation not resolved Frank is recalled to Carlingford by a mysterious missive from their elder brother Jack, the black sheep of the family. In the meantime Rosa Elsworthy has disappeared and Frank is given the blame.

The attentive reader notices several thematic and plot similarities to the author’s other Carlingford novels – especially Salem Chapel – and her continuing interest in ecclesiastical doings.

The unravelling of the above plot strands, the identity of the mysterious lodger and his connection with other characters, the resolution, all take some time. The book’s wordiness is of a piece with the Victorian novel and is exacerbated by Frank throughout the book being referred to not only as Mr Frank Wentworth, but at times as the Perpetual Curate, or the Curate of St Roque’s, and even the Evangelist of Wharfside. This is one of Oliphant’s stylistic tics. She far too frequently refers to characters with phrases such as these or attributions like “said the disturbed monitor” instead of using a character’s name. Was this to add to the word count or perhaps to avoid close repetition? In any case, less here is more. In addition Oliphant has Aunt Leonora Wentworth objecting to things “‘ending off neatly like a novel in this sort of ridiculous way,’” thereby bringing attention to the fact that it does.

This is not great literature, but it is serviceable. Oliphant had an audience and catered to it. Presumably they liked what they read.

Pedant’s corner:- “the Miss Wentworths” (many times; the Misses Wentworth,) “the Miss Wodehouses” (also many times; the Misses Wodehouse,) “the Miss Hemmings” (a few times. The surname here is Hemmings, its plural would be Hemmingses; the formulation ‘the Miss Hemmings’ does not make either part plural. Utilising ‘the Misses Hemmings’ would have got round that,) “‘did not use to be so’” (did not used to be,) villanous (villainous,) “upon whom a curious committee of aunts were now to sit” (a … committee … was to sit,) “a group of ladies were visible” (a group of ladies was visible,) “which almost drive that troubled citizen to his knees” (the narrative is in past tense; drove,) “neither here not there” (nor there,) “Virginian creeper” (x 2, Virginia creeper,) “the trouble which has overtaken his brother” (had overtaken,) several instances of a comma missing before a piece of direct speech,) “wiled the night away” (whiled,) receipt (recipe,) unbiassed (unbiased,) “the entire family were startled into anxiety” (the entire family was,) “he put up his handkerchief to this eyes as he spoke” (to his eyes,) “was quite stanch and honest” (an unusual case of ‘stanch’ for staunch’; it’s normally the other way round,) cruelest (cruellest,) dulness (dullness,) fulness (fullness,) mantlepiece (mantelpiece,) “could in this pleasant condition of mind he went down-stairs” (that ‘could’ sticks out oddly,) trode (trod.)