My Young Alcides: A Faded Photograph

"My Young Alcides: A Faded Photograph" by Charlotte M. Yonge is a story set in the 1800s where Lucy Alison thinks back to her family’s story and the arrival of relatives she didn’t talk to much, especially Harold, known as "young Alcides." It's a story about family relationships, what society thinks, and growing up, as Lucy deals with her feelings for her disinherited relatives and how their past affects everything. At the beginning, Lucy talks about an old photo that brings back memories of her family's difficult history, especially her father's twin brothers who were sent away because of their revolutionary actions. The story then shifts to the arrival of her nephews, Eustace and Harold, after their father dies, which causes societal prejudice due to their background. When Lucy meets Harold, who is large, imposing but kind, she is both worried and curious, and she soon finds herself trying to understand her feelings about her family and the challenges ahead.