Hester: a Story of Contemporary Life is an 1883 novel by Margaret Oliphant. It was originally published in three volumes.
Vernon's Bank has been run by Catherine Vernon ever since her cousin John, the former bank manager, abandoned it when it was on the brink of collapse. John's widow returns after years abroad, bringing her fourteen-year-old daughter Hester with her. Unfortunately for everyone, Hester doesn't know the truth about her father. She thinks Catherine stole the bank from him. For obvious reasons she dislikes Catherine, and the feeling quickly becomes mutual. Then Hester befriends Edward, Catherine's nephew and protégé, and Edward makes the disastrous decision to speculate with the bank's money.
It was loosely adapted to radio in 2013. The full novel is available on Gutenberg: Volume 1
, Volume 2 and Volume 3.
Contains examples of:
- Big, Screwed-Up Family: The Vernons. Out of more than ten important characters, only one (Mr. Rule) isn't related to the Vernons by blood or marriage. The rest are a mixture of aunts, uncles, first cousins, second cousins, in-laws... Their family disagreements form most of the book's drama.
- Dead Guy Junior: John Vernon is the name of both the bank's founder and his great-grandson. Edward Vernon is the name of at least three characters: the bank's second manager, his grandson, and Catherine's protégé (who is a distant cousin of the other two).
- Kissing Cousins: Discussed. Harry and Emma are descended from John Vernon's daughter, who kept her surname by marrying a relative — presumably a cousin, though how closely they were related is unknown. The people of Redborough expected John (the second John) to marry his cousin Catherine; nothing came of this, though. (Truth in Television — Margaret Oliphant married her cousin.)
- Maiden Aunt / Old Maid: Catherine and the Miss Vernon-Ridgeways are unusual examples. Catherine's cousin calls her an old maid but she's a successful banker, while the Miss Vernon-Ridgeways are spiteful gossips.
- Nephewism: Catherine adopts three children from different branches of her family: Edward, descended from a great-uncle, and Harry and Ellen, descended from a great-aunt. Both sets of parents are still alive and the children are in their teens at least when she adopts them, because she wants to pick one of the boys to succeed her.
- No Name Given: Hester's mother is always called Mrs. John.
- Protagonist Title: Hester is the protagonist... or at least, one of them.
- Ungrateful Bastard: The various Vernon relatives are happy to accept Catherine's hospitality while insulting her behind her back.
- Upper-Class Twit: Hester's mother, who cannot comprehend that the bank is about to be ruined and her husband has run away.
