Love and Lucy

"Love and Lucy" by Maurice Hewlett is a romantic story that shows the challenges of marriage and hidden wants in what seems like a normal life. The story follows Lucy Meade and her husband, James Adolphus Macartney, looking at their relationship and the feelings they keep inside. The book talks about love, who people really are, and how things aren't always what they seem, suggesting that people often hide their true feelings because of what society expects. As the story begins, we meet the Macartney family and see how they interact, especially within their home. Lucy is shown as kind and beautiful, while James is a successful lawyer who doesn't show much emotion. He acts like he's in charge but isn't very connected to others. The couple gets ready for a dinner party where guests, including their clever son Lancelot and a possible boyfriend for Lucy named Francis Lingen, will come together. This sets the scene for complicated relationships and emotional stress that define the story, mixing humor and deep thinking to hint at Lucy's struggles in her marriage and the romantic feelings that might make things even more difficult.