Vellenaux A Novel

"Vellenaux" by E.W. Forrest is a 19th-century novel that weaves together historical happenings from the Sheik Wars and the Sepoy Mutiny. The book tells the story of Sir Jasper Coleman, a former soldier enjoying retirement at his family home, Vellenaux, and the relationships between his beautiful adopted relative Edith, and Arthur Carlton, a young man who has just finished his time at college. The beginning shows Vellenaux and its people, mainly Sir Jasper, a kind, older man who is not married. He thinks about his life as his niece asks him to tell her stories of London. The arrival of Mrs. Fraudhurst, a woman who has worked her way into Sir Jasper’s home, brings a sense of unease, as she seems to be planning to take over her situation and maybe even the estate. As the story unfolds, romantic feelings grow, especially between Arthur and Edith, which could lead to problems later on.