These Old Shades · Chapter
XI: Mr. Marling's Heart Is Won explained
Lady Fanny Marling persuades her husband Edward to accept Léonie de Bonnard into their home as a guest, revealing that the Duke of Avon brought the girl from Paris, where she had been his page, and now wishes her to be his ward.
What happens
Lady Fanny Marling persuades her husband Edward to accept Léonie de Bonnard into their home as a guest, revealing that the Duke of Avon brought the girl from Paris, where she had been his page, and now wishes her to be his ward. Edward is initially skeptical but gradually warms to Léonie's charm.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This chapter is the dramatic climax because it marks the psychological and emotional peak of the Duke of Avon’…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Social Class and Scandal
Edward Marling's initial concern about Léonie's presence reflects the era's anxiety over scandal and propriety, especially given her past as a boy page.
- Family and Belonging
The chapter explores Léonie's integration into the Marling household as a ward, highlighting themes of adoption and the creation of new familial bonds.
- Gender Roles and Performance
Léonie's discomfort with skirts and her insistence on keeping breeches underscore the performance of gender and her struggle with societal expectations.
Characters to notice
- Lady Fanny Marling
Fanny enthusiastically convinces her husband to host Léonie, relaying the story of Avon's adoption and her own delight in the girl.
- Edward Marling
Edward is initially reluctant and suspicious of Avon's motives but is won over by Fanny's persuasion and Léonie's innocent demeanor.
- Léonie de Bonnard
Léonie is introduced to Mr. Marling, awkward in her new skirts but charming, and she expresses her discomfort with feminine attire.
- Justin, Duke of Avon
Avon is discussed as having brought Léonie from Paris, made her his page, and now seeks to establish her as his ward, entrusting her to Fanny's care.
Key passages
“I was so enchanted! I never imagined that Justin was in England! Oh, and he has a fan! You cannot conceive anything so absurd, dear!”
Fanny expresses her surprise and amusement at seeing Justin in England and his fashionable fan.
Fanny's excitement highlights the unexpected arrival of Avon and his adoption of current trends.
“I think she positively worships him, poor child—and he begged me to keep her with me for a few days because he does not want there to be a shadow of scandal attached to her.”
Fanny explains that Léonie adores Avon and that he asked Fanny to host her to avoid any scandal.
This reveals Avon's protective nature and the importance of reputation.
“She has red hair, and black eyebrows, and I have given her my green silk. You cannot imagine how quite too tiresomely lovely she is, though perhaps she would look better in white.”
Fanny describes Léonie's striking appearance and her attempt to dress her in fashionable attire.
Fanny's comment underscores Léonie's unique beauty and the challenges of fitting her into conventional feminine roles.
“I must curtsy, is it not so? Bah, what skirts!”
Léonie awkwardly attempts a curtsy, expressing her frustration with wearing skirts.
Léonie's discomfort with feminine attire highlights her struggle with gender expectations.
