The Senator's Bride

"The Senator's Bride" by Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller is a tale of romance, sacrifice, and social conflict during the late 1800's that centers around Bruce Conway, a man torn between his affection for the kind, young Grace Grey and his controlling aunt's desire for him to marry into wealth. Set in Virginia, the story begins with Bruce and a friend watching Grace in a garden, immediately highlighting his internal struggle as his feelings deepen before he departs for Europe; the pair's strong feelings are revealed as Bruce attempts to distance himself for reasons of family pressure and expectations, setting the stage for a painful struggle between love and duty, with the overall tone suggesting a sad exploration of how society's expectations collide with personal happiness.