A Secret Inheritance (Volume 3 of 3)

In Short

This Victorian gothic mystery reveals how a dark inherited affliction haunts the life of Gabriel Carew. Narrated primarily through letters from Abraham Sandival, the story unravels a web of secret twin rivalries, fatal somnambulism, and framed innocence. As Sandival investigates Carew’s sinister background to evaluate a proposed marriage between their children, he uncovers the truth behind a past murder in the village of Nerac. It has endured as an inventive, suspenseful thriller that merges sensational mystery with psychological dread and the terrifying prospect of transgenerational guilt.

The Story

The narrative opens amidst the lingering aftermath of a tragedy in the village of Nerac. Emilius stands accused of murdering his twin brother, Eric, driven by their rival affection for Patricia. Though the local magistrate dismisses Emilius’s gentle past and insists that jealousy breeds monstrous acts, Doctor Louis defends the young man’s character. Emilius recounts a eerie forest dream that warned him of a "threatening Shadow" stalking his brother, but his protestations fail to clear his name.

Meanwhile, Gabriel Carew marries Doctor Louis’s daughter, Lauretta, after a brief delay. Following a blissful honeymoon, they return to Nerac, where the decline of Lauretta’s mother casts a pall over their joy. Years later, the setting shifts to England, where Abraham Sandival discovers that his son, Reginald, has fallen deeply in love with Mildred Carew, the daughter of Gabriel and Lauretta. Intrigued yet cautious, Sandival meets Gabriel at his estate, Rosemullion. Though Gabriel exhibits an charming intellect and an intense, worshipping devotion to his wife, Sandival observes strange shifts in his temperament as twilight approaches.

Determined to safeguard his son's future, Sandival tracks down Mrs. Fortress, a former nurse who cared for Gabriel’s mother. Mrs. Fortress reveals a horrifying family history: Gabriel’s mother suffered from a hereditary madness that manifested during sleep, rendering her capable of unconscious violence. Gabriel’s late father had left strict written warnings that his son must never marry or perpetuate their doomed bloodline.

Horrified, Sandival attempts to stop Reginald’s marriage. However, new complications arise when Gabriel’s own sleepwalking episodes resurface. During these nocturnal wanderings, Gabriel acts under the influence of an inner demon, unaware of his actions upon waking. Concurrently, Emilius—having suffered years of unjust imprisonment—returns to seek justice and clear his name, revealing that his dying wife, Patricia, had surrendered her infant daughter to Lauretta during a stormy night long ago.

It is ultimately revealed that Mildred is actually the daughter of Emilius and Patricia, swapped in infancy to protect her from her grandfather's wrath, meaning she does not carry the Carew bloodline. Meanwhile, Gabriel reads his father's long-hidden confessions and realizes the true extent of his own somnambulistic acts—including the historical murder of Eric. Crushed by self-condemnation, Gabriel dies in his study, seemingly of heart disease, though Sandival understands the true psychological toll that ended his life. With the ancestral curse broken and Emilius’s honor restored, Mildred and Reginald are happily united.

How It Unfolds

The shadow of suspicion Emilius faces intense interrogation following the mysterious murder of his twin brother Eric in the forests of Nerac. Despite Doctor Louis’s pleas regarding Emilius’s lifelong gentleness, the magistrate remains convinced that romantic jealousy drove him to crime.

A deceptive peace Gabriel Carew weds Lauretta and departs on a serene honeymoon, writing home of the light and purity his bride brings to his soul. Upon their return, their happiness is tested by the failing health of Lauretta’s mother and the silent departure of the family gardener.

Courtship at Rosemullion Decades later, Reginald Sandival falls passionately in love with Mildred Carew, leading his father, Abraham, to investigate the mysterious family. Abraham meets Gabriel Carew and notices a troubling, morose transformation that overcomes Gabriel every evening as twilight falls.

The nurse’s revelation Abraham travels to Cornwall to interview Mrs. Fortress, the former nurse of Gabriel’s parents. She discloses that Gabriel’s mother suffered from a violent, hidden madness, exposing a terrible genetic inheritance that threatens any future descendants.

Nocturnal terror Mrs. Carew confesses her growing dread to Abraham, revealing that Gabriel has begun walking in his sleep once again. Abraham stays at Rosemullion to observe Gabriel, who searches the grounds with a drawn dagger while trapped in a somnambulistic state.

A secret restored Emilius confronts the household to clear his name and reclaims his long-lost daughter. It is disclosed that Mildred is actually Emilius's child, spared from the Carew curse, paving the way for her marriage to Reginald after Gabriel’s sudden death.

The People

• Gabriel Carew: The master of Rosemullion, whose cultured mind and deep love for his wife mask a tragic, inherited affliction. He seeks to live a noble life, yet he is haunted by nocturnal sleepwalking episodes that turn him into an unwitting agent of violence.
• Abraham Sandival: A practical, devoted father who chronicles the mystery through detailed letters. He wants to protect his son Reginald from a dangerous alliance, driving him to unearth the dark truths buried in the Carew family history.
• Lauretta Carew: The gentle, devoted wife of Gabriel and daughter of Doctor Louis. SheA dark hereditary curse, a terrifying history of somnambulism, and a murder in a secluded forest threaten to shatter two generations of lovers.

In Short

Presented as a sequence of confidential letters, this Victorian gothic mystery unravels the tragedy of Gabriel Carew, a man of immense wealth and hidden torment. Settled in the English estate of Rosemullion with his beloved wife Lauretta and their daughter Mildred, Carew seems to lead an enviable life. However, when young Reginald Sandival falls in love with Mildred, the boy’s father investigates Carew’s past. He uncovers a grim history of nighttime wandering, a twin brother’s wrongful imprisonment for murder, and a terrifying family legacy of violent sleepwalking. Farjeon’s novel endures for its haunting atmosphere, psychological suspense, and poignant exploration of inherited guilt.

The Story

The narrative resolves the tragedy surrounding Gabriel Carew through letters written by Abraham Sandival to his friend Maximilian Gallenga. The history begins years earlier in the village of Nerac, where twin brothers Emilius and Eric fall in love with the same woman, Patricia. Tragic circumstances culminate in Eric’s murder in a dark forest. Despite Emilius’s account of a vivid dream warning him of his brother's danger, the local magistrate rejects his defense, citing how jealousy distorts human nature, and Emilius is imprisoned for the crime. Meanwhile, Gabriel Carew marries Lauretta, the daughter of the local physician Doctor Louis, and the newlyweds enjoy a bright honeymoon before returning to Nerac. Soon after, Lauretta’s mother passes away, leaving the village in mourning.

Decades later, in England, Abraham Sandival grows concerned when his son Reginald falls deeply in love with Carew’s daughter, Mildred. Drawn to Carew’s intellectual brilliance and his profound devotion to Lauretta, Sandival nonetheless senses a unsettling gloom that overcomes Carew at twilight. Investigating Carew's isolated upbringing, Sandival travels to Cornwall to interview Mrs. Fortress, a former nurse who cared for Carew’s late mother. She confirms that Carew’s mother suffered from severe mental illness and somnambulism, locked away from the world.

Armed with this alarming knowledge, Sandival visits the Carew estate at Rosemullion. Lauretta secretly confides in Sandival that her husband has begun wandering at night in an unconscious state. Staying as a guest, Sandival uncovers a hidden journal written by Carew’s father, explicitly warning that the family carries an inherited taint: a dangerous condition where waking gentleness gives way to unconscious, criminal impulses. Carew’s father had adjured his son never to marry or reproduce. Reading his father's words in his sleepwalking state, Carew realizes the dreadful truth of his own nature.

That same night, Emilius—now released from prison and seeking his missing child—confronts the household. It is revealed that years ago, Patricia had fled to Lauretta on a stormy night to save her baby girl before dying; Lauretta had adopted the infant and raised her as Mildred. Carew, realizing he committed murder while asleep and unable to bear the horror of his condition, takes his own life. His death is publicly attributed to heart disease, leaving his secret safe. Mildred, learning of her true parentage as Emilius's daughter, marries Reginald with the family's blessing, while Lauretta remains universally revered for her enduring purity and grace.

How It Unfolds

The magistrate's verdict During the private inquiry into Eric’s murder, Doctor Louis pleads for Emilius by citing his gentle nature and lifelong devotion to his twin. The severe magistrate dismisses these sentimental arguments, maintaining that jealousy transforms any man into a demon.

A night of terror and dreams Emilius recounts resting by his cart in a secluded forest when a terrifying dream reveals his brother Eric in mortal danger, pursued by a shadowy presence. A haunting whisper commands him to seek and warn his twin, driving him awake into the night.

A joyous union in Nerac Following the trial, Gabriel Carew marries Lauretta amidst widespread celebration in the village. Their bright honeymoon tour across Europe brings Carew unprecedented peace, opening windows of light in a soul previously accustomed only to darkness.

Love across families Years later, Reginald Sandival returns home entranced by Mildred Carew, prompting his father Abraham to inspect the family. While charmed by Carew’s vast intellect and devotion to his wife, Abraham notes a sudden, sinister gloom that takes hold of Carew as dusk falls.

Secrets in Cornwall Determined to protect his son from potential tragedy, Abraham travels to consult Mrs. Fortress, the nurse who guarded Carew's childhood home. She reveals the strict isolation imposed upon Carew’s mother, hinting at a terrible secret kept from the boy.

Unlocking the father's warning While staying at Rosemullion, Abraham gains access to Carew’s study and reads a hidden document written by Carew's late father. The manuscript reveals a dreadful hereditary curse, commanding that the bloodline must die out to prevent further tragedy.

The final tragic peace After Emilius arrives at the estate to clear his name and reclaim his heritage, Carew confronts the dark truth of his nocturnal deeds. He passes away silently in his study chair, allowing his family to remember him only for his hidden charities and deep love.

The People

• Gabriel Carew wants to protect his beloved wife and daughter from the darkness haunting his mind. Driven by intense devotion and high moral standards, he is unknowingly trapped by a terrible hereditary affliction that triggers violent somnambulism. He ends his life upon discovering his true nature, preserving his family's peace.
• Lauretta Carew seeks only to bring light, comfort, and unwavering love to her husband and children. Her selfless nature leads her to shelter a dying mother and raise the orphaned child as her own. She survives the tragedy with her purity of spirit intact, revered by all who know her.
• Abraham Sandival wants to safeguard his son Reginald's future while remaining a loyal friend to Carew. Torn between his duty as a protective father and his deep sympathy for Carew's household, he acts as the persistent investigator who uncovers the truth.
• Emilius seeks to vindicate his character and reunite with the child he lost during his wrongful imprisonment. Broken by years of confinement for his brother's murder, he maintains a gentle heart, ultimately finding peace and acceptance in his later years.
• Mildred Carew seeks happiness with her suitor Reginald Sandival. Unaware of the complex history surrounding her birth, she transitions gracefully from being Carew's cherished daughter to discovering her true identity as Emilius's child.

In Its Own Voice

"My experience is," he said, "that all previous records of a man's life and character are not only valueless but misleading when the passions of love and jealousy enter his soul."

The magistrate sternly dismisses Doctor Louis's pleas for Emilius, insisting that overwhelming passion completely distorts a man's judgment and moral sense.

"To bring into the world human beings who are not responsible for their actions, and who are driven to crime by the promptings of a demoniac force born within them and growing stronger with their own growth to strong manhood, is to be the creator of a race of monsters."

In a confession hidden within his study, Carew's father records his horror at discovering the inherited mental illness that turns unconscious sleep into a vehicle for crime.

"Not only in idea, but in deed. 'God bless Mrs. Carew!' is said by many out of her hearing, and if to live a good pure life will earn God's blessing, she has earned it, and it is hers."

Reflecting on the conclusion of the tragedy, Abraham Sandival pays tribute to Lauretta's noble character and the quiet grace with which she sanctified the lives around her.

What It's Really About

Beneath its sensational gothic exterior, the novel confronts deep Victorian anxieties surrounding heredity, moral responsibility, and free will. It questions whether an individual can truly be held accountable for atrocious acts committed while under the influence of an unconscious, inherited madness. Through the tragic figure of Gabriel Carew, the text explores the terrifying dualism of human nature—the fine line separating a cultured, charitable gentleman from an unbidden, violent force. The story also examines the burdens of parental secrecy; the well-intentioned concealment of family taints ultimately causes compounded suffering for the next generation. Ultimately, the book contrasts the destructive power of innate darkness with the quiet, redeeming strength of maternal devotion and unselfish love.

Why Read It Today

A Secret Inheritance appeals to readers who enjoy classic Victorian mysteries, psychological thrillers, and sensational gothic literature. Farjeon constructs a slow-burning, atmospheric narrative that relies on epistolary framing, journal entries, and formal interviews rather than frantic action. The prose carries the deliberate, measured pacing typical of late-nineteenth-century serial fiction, rich in formal dialogue and detailed moral reflection.

The novel's strength lies in its eerie mood and its surprisingly modern focus on psychological trauma and split consciousness. Readers who appreciate the melodramatic suspense of Wilkie Collins or the dark ancestral themes of Arthur Conan Doyle will find much to admire here. While modern audiences may find the reliance on intricate coincidences and formal, high-minded dialogue somewhat dated, the book's haunting exploration of sleepwalking and inherited guilt creates a lingering, memorable atmosphere that stays with you long after the final page.