Cobwebs and Cables

"Cobwebs and Cables" by Hesba Stretton is a late 19th-century tale about Roland Sefton, a high-powered banker whose world cracks under the weight of a brewing scandal. He contemplates flight and his story begins in the dead of night, in his quiet office where he is wrestling with a decision to abandon his life to escape the fallout of his actions, his thoughts drift back to his cherished hometown and the family he is prepared to leave, including his wife Felicita and their children. The narrative then introduces Phebe Marlowe, a character that mirrors Roland’s history but underlines the differences in their lives. Roland's story evolves into a powerful exploration of guilt, familial responsibility, and the extensive consequences of one man's choices, as the looming crisis forces him to confront the moral implications of his actions and the tragic ripple effect on those closest to him.