Chapter 1, Bretton Summary

Lucy Snowe visits her godmother, Mrs. Bretton, in the village of Bretton twice a year. Mrs. Bretton is a widow with a son, who is away visiting friends, and she always makes Lucy feel welcome in her home. One day, Lucy arrives home from a walk to discover that an additional bed and chest of drawers have been added to her room. Mrs. Bretton is expecting the young daughter of a distant relative to stay with them a while. The child's mother recently died, and even though she and her husband were separated by mutual consent, he is a sensitive man who blames himself for her death. Mr. Home, the child's father, will be traveling to France to stay with relatives.

The child arrives on a stormy night. She is a tiny, doll-like girl, who speaks carefully for such a young...