Barbara Ladd

In Short

Set in Connecticut and New York on the eve of the American Revolution, Barbara Ladd traces the upbringing and emotional awakening of its rebellious namesake orphan. Taken in by her rigid aunt and surrounded by doting male guardians with sharply opposing political loyalties, Barbara navigates personal rebellions, romantic rivalries, and the rising tide of war. Charles G. D. Roberts crafts a tender coming-of-age story that balances intimate character drama with the grand historical fracture of a nation divided against itself. It endures as a vivid portrait of personal and political reconciliation.

The Story

The narrative opens with young Barbara Ladd executing a desperate escape from the strict home of her aunt, Mistress Mehitable Ladd, dropping her bundle from her window into the dark. Raised by her father in Maryland before his death, Barbara possesses an untamed, fiery spirit that chafes under her aunt’s rigid expectations in the quiet village of Second Westings, Connecticut. After escaping in a canoe down the river, avoiding wild bears and finding solace in nature, she is retrieved by Doctor Jim and Doctor John, two beloved local figures who share a deep bond despite their differing temperaments. Doctor Jim is a stalwart, uncompromising Loyalist, while Doctor John harbors a deep sympathy for the American cause.

As Barbara grows from a willful child into a passionate young woman, her relationship with her aunt slowly shifts from conflict to mutual respect. Mehitable surrenders her strict discipline, granting Barbara self-governance. Along the way, Barbara forms an enduring bond with Robert Gault, a young man whose quiet devotion and strength win her heart. However, their burgeoning romance is complicated by political turmoil and Barbara's own fierce spirit. When her uncle, Richard Glenowen, takes her to New York, Barbara enters the sparkling high society of the city. There, misunderstandings arise between her and Robert, who fights a duel on her behalf. Upon realizing his devotion, Barbara repents her headstrong judgment, and the two draw closer.

When the Revolutionary War breaks out with the battles of Lexington and Concord, the political rift tears through their community. Uncle Bob joins General Washington's forces, while Doctor Jim and Doctor John face the agonizing reality of being on opposing sides of a brutal conflict. Robert Gault takes up arms as well, suffering exhaustion and injury in the line of duty. With the help of the faithful, eccentric old Debby Blue, Barbara shelters a wounded Robert in a hidden, abandoned cabin along a secluded deadwater stream. Tending to his recovery in secret, Barbara comes to fully realize the depth of her love for him. Through the heartbreak of war and the division of families, the characters learn that while politics may divide houses, personal loyalty and love can keep their hearts united.

How It Unfolds

The flight into the dark Barbara slips out of her bedroom window at dawn, fleeing her aunt's strict discipline to seek freedom on the river.

The rescue on the water Doctor Jim gathers the exhausted child into his arms, carrying her back home while debating the rising political tensions with a fiery, rebellious Barbara.

An accord with Aunt Hitty Mistress Mehitable recognizes her niece's maturing spirit, releasing Barbara from rigid child's discipline and challenging her to govern herself.

A romance in the woods Barbara and Robert ride neck-by-neck through the summer forest, their quiet mutual affection deepening alongside their spirited arguments over the King.

The glamor of New York In the bustling city, Barbara discovers that Robert was wounded in a duel defending her honor, prompting a swift reconciliation and a flood of devotion.

The fracture of war News of Lexington and Concord shatters the quiet life of Second Westings, forcing lifelong friends and brothers onto opposing sides of the Revolutionary struggle.

Sanctuary in the deadwater Barbara and old Debby guide a canoe through hidden branches to an abandoned log cabin, where Barbara nurses the exhausted Robert back to health in secret.

The People

• Barbara Ladd: A fiery, independent orphan who chafes against authority, adores nature, and finds herself deeply torn between her romantic feelings and her fierce devotion to the colonial cause.
• Mistress Mehitable (Aunt Hitty) Ladd: Barbara’s stern, conscientious aunt whose strict exterior gradually yields to a deep, respectful affection for her headstrong niece.
• Doctor Jim Pigeon: A big-hearted, blustering physician and uncompromising Tory whose fierce loyalty to the British Crown never weakens his affection for his rebel friends.
• Doctor John Pigeon: Doctor Jim’s droll brother, a gentle patriot doctor who foresees the tragedy of the impending war and chooses the Continental side.
• Robert Gault: A dutiful, brave young man whose patient devotion to Barbara stands fast through duels, miscommunication, and the perils of wartime service.
• Richard (Uncle Bob) Glenowen: Barbara’s suave, gallant uncle who leaves high society to serve as an officer under General Washington.

In Its Own Voice

"She knew very well that she should have started earlier; but if there was one thing that could daunt her wayward and daring little spirit, it was the dark."

—The opening lines capture young Barbara's fearful yet resolute determination to escape into the unknown.

"'A dividing of houses, maybe,--but not a dividing of hearts, John Pigeon, never a dividing of hearts, eh, what? eh, what?'"

—Doctor Jim asserts the enduring power of brotherhood even as the country collapses into civil war.

"On both banks of the stream the trees held out their leaves, russet and gold, amethyst and bronze and scarlet, like so many little elfin hands attesting that all fair dreams come true at last..."

—A lush depiction of the New England landscape through which Barbara travels to hide her wounded lover.

What It's Really About

Barbara Ladd explores the tension between individual liberty and social obligation. On a personal scale, it examines the difficult transition from headstrong youth to self-disciplined adulthood, framing maturity not as submission to authority, but as the voluntary acceptance of responsibility for oneself and one's choices.

On a broader historical scale, the novel uses the American Revolution as a backdrop to examine how political ideals test personal bonds. It poses fundamental questions about loyalty: can love, family, and lifelong friendship survive when conviction forces people onto opposite sides of a bloody battlefield? The book ultimately argues that human sympathy, rooted in genuine affection, possesses the power to transcend even the most bitter ideological divides.

Why Read It Today

Barbara Ladd offers readers a gentle, evocative journey into the American past, blending romantic fiction with atmospheric regional nature writing. Sir Charles G. D. Roberts brings a poet's eye to the natural world; his descriptions of Connecticut rivers, quiet woods, and autumn foliage give the story a vibrant, sensory grounding that makes the setting feel alive.

The novel will appeal to readers who enjoy classical historical romances, traditional coming-of-age narratives, and affectionate character studies. While contemporary audiences must navigate occasional period-typical sentimentality, historical dialect, and slow-paced domestic conversations, these features give the text its authentic turn-of-the-century charm. What stays with the reader is the character of Barbara herself—a heroine whose independence, warmth, and refusal to be neatly categorized make her feel surprisingly modern. It remains a comforting, warmhearted story about the endurance of love across political chasms.