The unbidden guest

The unbidden guest : or, Between two passions by Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller is a romance novel written in the early 20th century. Set at a West Virginia mountain estate called The Crags, it centers on Gipsy Darke, a beautiful waif raised under charity, and the aristocratic cousins Lelia Ritchie and Laurie Willoughby, whose engagement is tested by jealousy, class pride, and Gipsy’s courage. Expect high drama with rescues, secrets, and the social tensions of a lively house-party. The opening of the novel introduces The Crags and recounts how a gipsy infant, later called Gipsy Darke, was found and reared there, largely ignored by its owner, Miss Cyrilla Willoughby, but educated quietly by a kind secretary. When the betrothed cousins, Lelia and Laurie, return for a visit, Gipsy saves them during a violent storm by calming their bolting horses, is injured, and is spurned by Lelia’s ingratitude. Hiding hurt in a rock cleft, Gipsy overhears masked burglars—guided by Lelia’s maid—plotting to steal Lelia’s diamonds and kill if resisted; she crawls for help, is found by Laurie, and her warning leads to the men bursting into Lelia’s room just in time to subdue the thieves. As Gipsy lies feverish, Miss Willoughby grows fond and protective, while the house-party proceeds; Lelia’s jealousy erupts over a harmless ride Laurie takes with a flirtatious guest, a quarrel ends with her returning his ring, and Laurie abruptly leaves—first slipping that ring onto Gipsy’s finger with a mysterious “wish”—after which Lelia announces the broken engagement.

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