Alice Shadwell's missing will
Alice Shadwell's Missing Testament is an adventure novel by Rainer M. Schröder . It was published by Arena Verlag in March 2004.
genre
The book is a typical adventure novel. It takes place against a historical background, which is explained both in the book itself and in a summary on the last pages of the book. The romantic aspects, such as a farm in the vastness of America or love affairs during a picnic on an island by a lake, are also typical of this genre. These remedies are used relatively widely, making it an easy-to-read romance.
action
In 1772 Alice Shadwell travels with the three-master Fair Wind back to her homeland in Virginia, on her family estate Hickory Hill, since her father Henry has died and Alice intends to take over her inheritance. As a child, she had previously had to leave this place for England to foster parents, as her health was better able to withstand the milder climate of England.
Her unstable health is also a problem on the boat trip. Although her friend and companion Ruth Campton - together with the maid Sally Lee - tries everything to make Alice's journey and the associated hardships easier, it soon becomes clear that Alice will not see her arrival in Virginia. Since she does not want the plantation to fall into the hands of a distant and disinterested relative, she suggests a role reversal to Ruth: she should pretend to be Alice Shadwell and heiress to Hickory Hill. After some hesitation, Ruth the dying fulfills this wish. Alice's maid is also initiated and promises to remain silent and serve Ruth for a fee that is only to be paid to her one year after her arrival. Since the 27-year-old Richard Carrington, the last passenger on the “Fair Wind”, agrees to cover the exchange, Ruth Campton officially dies on board while “Alice Shadwell” gets well again. Her will, which she wanted to give Ruth as security in case the exchange is discovered, has disappeared.
On the Hickory Hill plantation, Ruth / Alice is initially confronted with numerous problems: The plantation is in debt, the slaves live in inhumane dwellings - which is deeply shocking to Alice - their manager Arthur Moore is constantly putting obstacles in her way, the wealthy neighbor Charles Coleman court her, Sally Lee finally wants to have her payoff and to make matters worse, she misses Richard Carrington, to whom she has built a deep bond on the "Fair Wind". However, since Carrington apparently did not answer for months, she finally accepts Charles Coleman's proposal and marries him, although she feels more friendship than love for him and Carrington appears shortly before the wedding and confesses his love to her.
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Alice's marriage is still quite harmonious at the beginning, but after a short time Charles withdraws from her. Since he also excludes her from doing business (he sells Hickory Hill to Carrington without her knowledge), she becomes bored and increasingly lonely, as political differences between Charles and her best friends, the O'Farrels, make it impossible to visit them. When she finds out that Charles is homosexual and that she probably only got married to get an heir, she confronts him angrily and disappointedly. Here she learns that Charles has known for a long time through Arthur Moore - who made Sally Lee beautiful eyes - that she is not Alice Shadwell. He now blackmailed her with this knowledge and thus binds her to himself, although she would like to escape this marriage. In her desperation and her search for support, she gives in to her love for Richard Carrington and begins an affair with him.
Meanwhile, the American independence movement has picked up speed: George Washington's army is looking for men and Richard Carrington is one of those who volunteer to fight for their homeland. The meanwhile pregnant Alice stays with Carles. As the fighting progresses, the situation for the royalists (Charles is one of them) becomes more and more delicate, and he plans his escape. Although he does not love the reluctant Alice, he wants to take her with him as he believes she is pregnant with his child and heir. Charles is ultimately fatally injured while trying to escape. Dying, he admits to have taken Alice Shadwell's will from Arthur Moore (whom he then killed), who in turn had taken it from Sally Lee.
Now relieved of all worries, Alice goes to the O'Farrels plantation, where she waits for Carrington's return, which also takes place some time after the birth of their son.
literature
- Schröder, Rainer M .; Alice Shadwell's missing will . Würzburg: Arena, 2004 → ISBN 3-401-02341-1