Notwithstanding

In Short

Set in early twentieth-century France and the quiet English countryside of Lowshire, this novel follows Annette Georges, an unformed young woman who narrowly escapes drowning herself in the Seine, only to be drawn into a compromised position by a dying young rake, Dick Le Geyt. Rescued by a resolute friend, Annette seeks peace living with her two eccentric aunts at Red Riff Farm. However, her new life collides with her past when she falls in love with Dick’s honorable, land-deprived cousin, Roger Manvers, forcing her to reckon with village gossip, hidden shame, and secret wills.

The Story

The narrative opens in Paris, where twenty-one-year-old Annette Georges stands upon the Pont Neuf, driven to deep despair by the actions of her father and a predatory admirer. She is intercepted by Dick Le Geyt, an irresponsible young Englishman who persuades her to flee with him instead of ending her life. Their journey ends abruptly in illness and tragedy; as Dick lies dying in the French countryside, he expresses remorse for taking advantage of Annette's anger, offering her a quaint piece of advice to look at clouds whenever she feels overwhelmed. Annette escapes public disgrace through the swift intervention of Mrs. Stoddart, a shrewd and benevolent family friend who whisks the traumatized girl away to recover from a breakdown.

Desiring a quiet life away from her father’s chaotic world, Annette moves to Lowshire to live at Red Riff Farm with her two unmarried aunts: Maria, a pompous novelist engrossed in her own literary importance, and Harriet, a delicate invalid focused on her health. In the peaceful village of Riff, Annette gradually blossoms. She joins the local church choir, earns the affection of the villagers with her heavenly voice, and finds joy in simple rural routines. Yet her sanctuary is built on fragile ground. Unbeknownst to her at first, the estate of Hulver—the dominant local property—belongs to the very Dick Le Geyt whose companion she had briefly been.

Complications intensify when Annette meets Roger Manvers, Dick's upright, hard-working cousin who manages the estate, and his devoted sister, Janey. Roger and Annette fall deeply in love, their romance unfolding against the serene Lowshire landscapes. However, Janey's unyielding moral code is shattered when a visiting neighbor reveals that Annette was seen in France with Dick, passing as his wife. Torn between her rigid sense of duty, her devotion to her brother, and her protective love for Roger, Janey agonizes over whether to expose Annette’s secret.

Meanwhile, family intrigue deepens at the Dower House. Dick’s scheming mother, Lady Louisa, plots to secure the estate for her half-witted younger son, Harry, utilizing a calculating nurse to bypass Roger's rightful claim. When news of Dick’s death arrives, Roger travels to France, only to discover that Dick has willed the entire squandered estate to him, with Annette’s name written on the document as a witness. The revelation of Annette’s past connection to Dick breaks Roger's heart, driving him into a brief, bitter despair as he realizes the woman he loves was entangled with his cousin.

Recognizing that her presence threatens the peace of the village and Roger's future, Annette prepares to leave Riff and return to London with Mrs. Stoddart. Yet Roger, listening to his conscience and realizing the depths of Annette's past suffering, overcomes his pride. Recognizing her purity of heart despite her tragic missteps, he seeks her out, forgiving the past and uniting his restored inheritance with a future alongside her.

How It Unfolds

Despair on the Seine Annette Georges stands on the Pont Neuf contemplating suicide, overwhelmed by betrayal, before being drawn into a reckless escape with the charming but dying Dick Le Geyt.

An Unwise Salvation As Dick lies on his deathbed offering gentle regrets, the practical Mrs. Stoddart steps in to shelter the unconscious Annette from public scandal and nursing her back to health.

Sanctuary at Red Riff Annette settles into Lowshire with her two distinct aunts, embedding herself in rural parish life, joining the choir, and finding simple happiness in the country soil.

A Gathering Shadow Annette discovers to her quiet horror that her new home is inextricably tied to Dick's family, just as she begins to form a deep, romantic bond with his cousin, Roger Manvers.

The Secret Revealed Gossip reaches the village through a visiting acquaintance, leaving Roger's sister Janey in a agonizing moral dilemma over whether to expose Annette's past to protect her brother.

Inheritance and Heartbreak Dick's death unleashes a struggle over the estate, leading Roger to discover both his inheritance of Hulver and Annette's heartbreaking signature on Dick's final will.

A Final Choice Facing the loss of her sanctuary, Annette decides to leave Riff, forcing Roger to choose between his rigid family pride and his profound love for her.

The People

• Annette Georges: A gentle, late-blooming young woman whose youthful naïveté leads her into a desperate situation in Paris. She seeks redemption and peace in rural England, maturing through suffering into a woman of quiet strength and integrity.
• Roger Manvers: An upright, practical English gentleman who has spent his life serving others without property of his own. His deep love for Annette forces him to confront his own rigid traditions and learn true forgiveness.
• Janey Manvers: Roger's devoted sister, whose narrow, austere upbringing gives her a uncompromising view of morality. Her deep loyalty to her brother makes her the unwilling keeper of Annette's secret.
• Dick Le Geyt: A careless, impetuous young rake whose impulsive kindness at the end of his life saves Annette from suicide, even as his past actions cast a long shadow over her future.
• Mrs. Stoddart: A shrewd, highly capable, and worldly woman who acts as Annette's practical guardian angel, navigating social conventions to shield the girl from ruin.
• Aunt Maria and Aunt Harriet Nevill: Annette's two unmarried aunts at Red Riff Farm—Maria, an absorbed, self-important novelist, and Harriet, a mild invalid—who depend entirely on Annette's care.

In Its Own Voice

"When you're angry, Annette, look at a cloud... Choose a good big one, like a lot of cotton wool, and go on looking at it while it moves. And the anger goes away."

Dick Le Geyt offers this eccentric piece of deathbed advice to Annette, trying in his final moments to steer her away from despair.

"I had been carefully brought up. I was what was called good... And yet--all in a minute--I could do as--as I did, throw everything away which only just before I had guarded with such passion."

Annette reflects bitterly to Mrs. Stoddart upon her sudden lapse in Paris, struggling to reconcile her inner moral failure with her respectable upbringing.

"And as they walked the thin veil which hides the enchanted land from lonely seekers was withdrawn."

The narrator captures the quiet, transcendent moment when Roger and Annette walk together through the Lowshire countryside, realizing their growing love for one another.

What It's Really About

Beneath its scenic rural backdrop, the novel investigates the narrowness of Edwardian social morality and the destructive nature of self-righteous judgment. It explores how easily an innocent, unformed person can be compromised by the selfishness of others, and how harsh society is toward a woman's misstep compared to a man's. The book contrasts the rigid, unforgiving moral codes of country society—represented by Janey and village gossips—with genuine spiritual redemption. Through Annette and Roger, the story argues that true goodness does not lie in an unblemished reputation or living without mistake, but in keeping a pure, compassionate heart intact despite trial, bitter experience, and the judgment of others.

Why Read It Today

This novel will appeal to readers who appreciate classic Edwardian literature, understated romance, and nuanced social observation akin to the works of Thomas Hardy or George Eliot. Mary Cholmondeley writes with a delicate balance of warm humor and psychological realism, capturing the quiet rhythms of English village life without romanticizing its narrow-mindedness. The prose moves fluidly between the ironic satire of village choir rivalries and genuine emotional gravity.

Modern readers should be prepared for the leisurely pacing characteristic of its era, as well as period attitudes regarding social class, family lineage, and morality. The story spends significant time detailing the domestic quirks of minor characters, such as Annette's literary aunt or the local clergy's choir squabbles. However, these slow-paced scenes enrich the setting, making the central moral dilemma hit with greater force. What remains with the reader long after finishing is the moving depiction of Annette's quiet resilience and the tender idea that love requires overcoming one's own self-righteousness.