Aurora Floyd · Chapters

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Chapter companions for Aurora Floyd by M. E. Braddon.

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Chapter 1
How a Rich Banker Married an Actress
The chapter introduces Archibald Martin Floyd, a wealthy banker who, against his own earlier declarations, marries Eliza Prodder, a penniless actress from a second-rate Lancashire theatre. The marriage scandalizes the local gentry and his family, who spread malicious rumors about Eliza's background. Despite the gossip, Eliza remains lighthearted, while Archibald is deeply wounded by the attacks on her character. The chapter also establishes the Floyd banking dynasty and the setting of Felden Woods.
Chapter 2
Aurora
This chapter introduces Aurora Floyd's early life, from her birth after her mother Eliza's death to her spoiled upbringing by her adoring father Archibald Floyd. It describes her wild, 'fast' nature, her love of horses, and the growing tension between father and daughter, culminating in a stormy confrontation that leads to her being sent to a Parisian finishing school for fourteen months.
Chapter 3
III: What Became of the Diamond Bracelet
Aurora Floyd's nineteenth birthday ball at Felden Woods is described, with her relatives noting her changed demeanor after a year in Paris. Among the guests are two officers from Windsor: Francis Maldon and Talbot Bulstrode, a proud Cornish baronet's son. During the ball, Aurora asks Talbot about the winner of the St. Leger, shocking him with her interest in horse racing. She wears a diamond bracelet given by her father, and Talbot is both horrified and fascinated by her unconventional behavior.
Chapter 4
After the Ball
Two days after Aurora's birthday ball, Talbot Bulstrode visits Felden Woods with Francis Maldon. He observes the tense, watchful relationship between Aurora and her father, contrasts her bold beauty with Lucy's gentle purity, and reflects on his own inability to inspire love despite his respectability.
Chapter 5
John Mellish
Mr. Floyd hires Mrs. Walter Powell as a governess and companion for Aurora. The family travels to Brighton, where Talbot Bulstrode, having sold out of the army, becomes a frequent visitor. Lucy observes Talbot's growing love for Aurora, though he struggles against it. The arrival of John Mellish, an old schoolfellow of Talbot's, introduces a rival for Aurora's attention.

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How a Rich Banker Married an Actress

Aurora

III: What Became of the Diamond Bracelet

After the Ball

John Mellish