Mary Wollaston

"Mary Wollaston" by Henry Kitchell Webster is a tale set around World War I that centers on the Wollaston family and the thorny relationships between Miss Lucile Wollaston, her brother Doctor John Wollaston, and John's wife, Paula, where love, ambition, and duty clash against societal changes. The story begins with the family at breakfast in March 1919, Miss Lucile tries to remain composed while dealing with her brother’s happy but distracted state after a night of surgery, coupled with the emotions stirred up by a letter from John's daughter, Mary, regarding their difficult family history. Lucile recalls the strained relationship between John and Mary, which resulted from disagreements over romantic choices which then led Mary to seek her independence in New York through war work. With John’s new wife, Paula, in the picture, Lucile struggles with Paula's place in the family and the effect on her brother.