The Seven Darlings

In Short

This novel is a breezy, charming comedy of manners set against the backdrop of the American wilderness. When the seven Darling siblings—six sisters and their brother, Arthur—find themselves destitute after their father’s death, they transform their sprawling mountain camp into an exclusive summer inn. As they navigate the complexities of service and hospitality, they find themselves pursued by a cohort of wealthy, determined suitors. It is a story of transition, capturing the fading grace of an aristocratic ideal while celebrating the resilient, often hilarious connections that form between people under pressure.

The Story

The Darlings are a tight-knit, privileged clan who wake up one morning to find their family fortune has evaporated. With nothing left but "The Camp," a magnificent property in the Adirondacks, they decide to monetize their heritage. The eldest, Mary, devises a business model: they will provide a peerless, all-inclusive luxury experience to the wealthy, charging a high price that effectively mirrors the lifestyle they once enjoyed. Their goal is to maintain the decorum of a private home while operating a commercial enterprise.

As the season begins, the Darlings find themselves at the mercy of their own high standards. The sisters must become managers, cooks, and hostesses, while Arthur acts as the protector of their borders against trespassers. The inn quickly attracts a gallery of eligible young men—including the future Earl of Merrivale, the adventurous Herring, and the cousin-duo Meredith and Jonstone. The plot unfolds through a series of romantic entanglements, wilderness escapades, and social skirmishes. The Darlings learn to balance their new professional obligations with their personal desires, often finding that the "guests" they serve are actually their own future partners.

The narrative arc is punctuated by the sisters’ individual journeys toward independence and marriage. Phyllis endures a harrowing, character-building ordeal in a swamp with the gallant Herring; Gay engages in a high-stakes bet over a prize trout with her eventual fiancé; and Mary navigates the social dynamics of being a proprietor who captures the attention of a wealthy admirer. Beneath the levity, the family remains the anchor. Arthur, who has suffered a heartbreaking loss involving a married woman, slowly heals as the house fills with the vitality of his sisters’ courtships.

As the summer wanes, the business experiment proves successful, though it eventually transitions into a private family retreat. The onset of the First World War serves as the final, sobering chapter. The idyll of the Adirondacks is punctured by the reality of global conflict. The "Darlings" scatter, with the men heading to the front and the women, particularly Gay, turning their energies toward nursing and humanitarian aid. The story concludes not with a fairy-tale ending, but with a poignant recognition of how world events reshape personal happiness.

How It Unfolds

The family crisis Mr. Gilpin, the family lawyer, delivers the news that the Darlings are effectively penniless, leaving them with only their Adirondack estate. They resolve to turn the property into an inn, aiming to provide an elite experience that justifies "prices rather high."

The inn opens The siblings transition from wealthy heirs to working managers, learning to serve guests with the same grace their father once displayed. They struggle to maintain their dignity while performing the labor-intensive tasks required to keep the camp running smoothly.

The suitors arrive A series of travelers, including sportsmen and titled Englishmen, descend upon the inn, sparking a chain of romantic pursuits. The Darlings find themselves juggling their duties as innkeepers with the persistent and often overwhelming attentions of their guests.

The wilderness tests Adventures in the woods—including a dangerous trek through a swamp and the policing of their property lines against intruders—serve to reveal the true character of the suitors. These moments of crisis force the sisters to choose between their sheltered pasts and the reality of their new, more active lives.

The end of the summer As the season concludes, the inn is closed, and the couples have largely sorted themselves out through engagements and mutual understandings. The narrative shifts from the lightheartedness of the camp to the gravity of the approaching war, leaving the characters to face a changing world.

The People

Mary is the eldest and the architect of the inn, balancing a sharp business mind with a protective instinct for her siblings. She evolves from a sheltered heiress into a capable leader. Arthur, the only brother, serves as the family's gentle, melancholic moral compass. Still nursing a broken heart from a forbidden romance, he finds redemption in the duty of protecting his sisters. Gay, the youngest and most spirited, is a natural outdoorswoman whose quick wit and "sporting" spirit lead her into a fateful bet with the Earl of Merrivale. Phyllis, a girl of "old-fashioned" sensibilities, undergoes the most profound transformation during a life-or-death struggle in the wilderness, shedding her helplessness for newfound resilience. Lee, another of the triplets, provides the comic buoyancy of the group, and along with her sisters, finds her life redirected by the arrival of men like the persistent and adventurous Herring and the charming Renier. Each character transitions from a passive participant in wealth to an active participant in their own destiny.

In Its Own Voice

"In other words--nothing," said Mary; "I have known my father to spend more in a month."

When the lawyer explains their financial ruin, Mary displays her characteristic, dry practicality.

"The one big price must include absolutely everything."

Mary outlines the guiding philosophy of the inn, insisting that their guests enjoy an effortless, high-end experience.

"He had suffered and could no longer bear to inflict pain."

The narrative reveals the emotional toll of Arthur's past, illustrating his growth toward a more compassionate nature.

What It's Really About

At its heart, the book explores the precariousness of privilege and the adaptive power of character. The Darlings must navigate the loss of their social status, yet the story argues that their real wealth lies in their family unity and their ability to work. It touches on the tension between the "old" world—defined by inherited ease—and the "new" world, which demands labor and resilience. The book also implicitly questions the nature of love in a transactional world, examining whether money serves as an obstacle to or an asset for true connection. Ultimately, it is a meditation on the transition from the innocence of youth to the responsibility of adulthood, set against the backdrop of a changing social order.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the brisk, witty dialogue of early 20th-century social comedies will find much to admire here. The book feels like a brisk walk in the crisp mountain air: it is refreshing, occasionally demanding, and deeply rooted in its period. The prose is elegant and conversational, capturing a specific American sensibility that blends rugged outdoorsmanship with high-society manners.

However, one must be prepared for the period attitudes embedded in the text. The characters occupy a world where class distinctions are taken for granted, and the gender roles are firmly rooted in 1915 conventions. The dialogue can feel stylized, and the occasional use of "dialect" for characters outside the Darlings' social sphere reflects the limitations of the era’s literary commonplaces. Furthermore, the ending—a sudden pivot from light romance to the grim reality of the Great War—may feel jarring to modern readers expecting a purely escapist resolution. Yet, this very shift gives the book its resonance; it captures a lost, golden moment before the world turned upside down. It is a rewarding read for those who want to see how a generation of "darlings" grew up just in time to face a changed reality.