The dead tryst

"The Dead Tryst" by James Grant is a historical fiction book about family relationships, love, and what people expect in society, set in Germany before a war. It tells the story of Countess Adelaide, her daughters Ernestine and Herminia, and their cousin Heinrich, whose lives are all mixed up together. The main problem in the story is that Herminia doesn't want to marry Heinrich, even though they were promised to each other as kids. This makes things difficult because she is secretly in love with Ludwig, a young soldier. The book starts one summer evening in Cologne, where the women are waiting for Heinrich and his English friend, Charlie Pierrepont, to visit. The Countess wants Herminia to accept that she has to marry Heinrich, but Herminia doesn't want to be forced into marriage because she really loves Ludwig. This creates a story full of secret love, fighting against what people expect you to do, and trying to find your own happiness.