A Bevy of Girls

In Short

This novel follows the lives of the Aldworth sisters, whose household is dominated by the needs of their chronically ill mother. When the eldest, Marcia, returns from school to manage the family, she attempts to balance domestic responsibility with the girls' natural, often selfish, longing for freedom. As the sisters clash with each other and pursue their own reckless whims, the youngest, Nesta, triggers a crisis by running away. A compassionate outsider, Angela St Just, serves as a catalyst for the girls' growth, ultimately guiding them toward maturity and deeper self-awareness.

The Story

The story opens at a boarding school where Marcia Aldworth, a beloved teacher, is forced to depart for England to care for her mother. Upon arriving home, she finds a strained environment. Mrs. Aldworth is a demanding, melancholy invalid, and her three daughters—Molly, Ethel, and Nesta—are desperate to escape the drudgery of nursing her. They view their mother’s illness as a prison and Marcia, who insists on a disciplined schedule, as their jailer.

The sisters, particularly the rebellious Nesta, engage in constant, petty subterfuge to secure "a good time" away from the sickroom. Molly and Ethel are obsessed with social standing and proximity to wealthy neighbors like the Carters, while Nesta, the youngest, seeks adventure with her friend Flossie Griffiths. This friction culminates in a dangerous period where the girls’ pursuit of pleasure causes them to neglect their responsibilities entirely. The atmosphere at home becomes increasingly volatile as the sisters bicker, dodge duties, and prioritize their own vanity over the needs of their family.

The situation reaches a breaking point when Nesta, feeling misunderstood and stifled, runs away to Scarborough to join the Griffiths family. Her disappearance forces the rest of the household into a state of panic and shame. Horace, the girls' elder brother, and Marcia are left to mitigate the disaster, forced to keep the truth from their mother while frantically searching for the girl. Nesta, meanwhile, finds that her runaway dream is far from glamorous. She is soon reduced to living in a cramped, poverty-stricken cottage with a woman named Mrs. Hogg, eating "red herrings" and struggling to maintain her pride in the face of harsh reality.

The narrative arc shifts toward reconciliation and transformation. Marcia and the aristocratic Angela St Just provide a steady, moral influence that begins to reshape the sisters' outlook. Angela, through her kindness and quiet strength, touches the hearts of those around her, including the errant Nesta. Eventually, the runaway returns, chastened by her ordeal. The sisters, once defined by their "hugger-muggering" and secret rebellions, begin to cultivate a more genuine sense of responsibility. The story concludes with a newfound, matured unity among the girls. Nesta, in particular, recognizes that her previous behavior was rooted in selfishness, and she begins a slow, arduous process of internal change, guided by the realization that her life has a purpose beyond her own fleeting desires.

How It Unfolds

The departure Marcia leaves her adoring students at an international school to return to her family in England. She is met with a household where her sisters are openly resentful of the sacrifices required to care for their ailing mother.

The conflict of duty Marcia attempts to enforce a fair rotation of nursing duties, which the other girls view as a cruel theft of their youth. Molly and Ethel hatch elaborate plans to avoid the sickroom, while Nesta plots her own secret escape.

The runaway Nesta slips away from the house, believing she is trading her dull life for freedom with her friends. She quickly discovers that the world outside is cold and unforgiving, leading to a desperate, lonely existence in a stranger's house.

The crisis of conscience The family struggles to maintain the facade of normalcy to protect their fragile mother from the truth. Angela St Just enters the lives of the sisters, acting as a mirror that forces them to confront their own vanity and lack of empathy.

The return and renewal Nesta returns home, fundamentally altered by her suffering and the kindness she encountered. The sisters begin to move past their superficial rivalries, finding a path toward mutual support and lasting personal growth.

The People

Marcia Aldworth is the steady, grave elder sister who shoulders the burden of the household. She is initially perceived by her siblings as a "mean old cat" for enforcing discipline, but she is the moral anchor who ensures the family does not collapse under the weight of its own dysfunction.

Molly and Ethel are the middle sisters, characterized by their obsession with appearances, fashion, and social inclusion. They are fundamentally self-centered, viewing their mother's illness as a personal inconvenience, but they are forced to confront their shallowness when their actions threaten the family's stability.

Nesta is the youngest, the "baby" of the family, and the primary agent of chaos. She is impulsive, proud, and prone to "violent passions," yet she possesses a capacity for change. Her journey from a selfish runaway to a girl capable of genuine, humble self-reflection is the emotional core of the book.

Angela St Just serves as the transformative figure. Aristocratic and inherently good, she is the "angel" who models a life of service and sympathy. Unlike the sisters, who are "bourgeois" and status-conscious, Angela’s influence is rooted in her ability to see the inherent value in others, which eventually softens Nesta’s hardened heart.

In Its Own Voice

"She was a tall, dark-eyed, grave looking girl herself; her age was about twenty."

The narrator introduces Marcia as a figure of quiet, responsible maturity in contrast to her schoolgirl students.

"If you cry like that you will suffer in the end, as I am suffering; you will be a helpless, neglected, disliked invalid."

Mrs. Aldworth projects her own fears and self-pity onto her daughter, illustrating the oppressive atmosphere of the sickroom.

"I have come here to say that father and mother expect you all to return home to-morrow."

Marcia delivers an ultimatum that highlights the tension between the sisters' desire for social freedom and their unavoidable domestic obligations.

What It's Really About

The central argument concerns the transition from adolescent self-absorption to the realization of social and moral duty. It poses a fundamental question: does a person’s value lie in their social standing and outward pleasures, or in their service to others? The book suggests that true growth requires the painful surrender of the "selfish" ego. It treats the home not as a place of comfort, but as a crucible for character, where the friction between conflicting personalities forces the individual to choose between their own "tiresome" desires and the well-being of the family unit.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy turn-of-the-century domestic dramas will find this book a compelling study of family dynamics. It is an honest portrayal of the "battle" between the generations, capturing the specific, often sharp-edged, language of girls who feel their youth is being wasted. You will find it captures the restlessness of adolescence with surprising precision—the way a room can feel like a prison, and the way a small act of defiance can feel like a grand, revolutionary victory.

However, readers should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes regarding social class and the somewhat idealized, moralizing influence of the "aristocratic" characters. The prose is earnest and at times heavy with moral weight, reflecting the instructional tone common to its time. The dialect and the intense, often melodramatic, internal lives of the sisters might feel alien, yet the underlying struggle—learning how to care for others without losing one's own identity—remains a timeless challenge. It is a rewarding read for anyone interested in the social history of the "bevy of girls" who were expected to manage both their own burgeoning independence and the heavy expectations of a rigid, Victorian-adjacent society.