Zoe; Or, Some Day: A Novel

In Short

Set in Canada and Europe during the late nineteenth century, May Leonard’s novel follows the spirited Litchfield sisters, particularly the artistic Zoe and the compassionate Dolores, alongside a sprawling cast of aristocrats, suitors, and quiet helpers. As the sisters encounter fortune-tellers, secret marriages, and convent refuges, the narrative balances societal expectations with personal independence. The book has lasted as a rare, fascinating literary artifact of 19th-century juvenilia, notable because its author wrote and published it as a teenager while receiving recognition from Queen Victoria.

The Story

The story opens in an atmosphere of polite society and domestic friction, where the quick-tempered Rea Severn discusses yachting parties and social rivalries with admirers like the fickle Gordon Aubrey. Meanwhile, young Zoe Litchfield chafes against her aunt Adeline's strict household rules, longing to pass beyond the iron gates of the wealthy, reclusive neighbor Mr. Vacine. Dolores Litchfield, Zoe's gentle sister, finds herself drawn into romantic complications, particularly with the charming but mysterious Sir Barry Traleigh, unaware that his past involves a hidden, contested marriage with a young woman named Jantie Mackeith.

As the setting shifts to the sunlit promenades of Villafranche and Nice, Dolores encounters the neglected little boy Roy, whose cold mother, Mrs. St. James, ignores him. Dolores's deep sympathy for the suffering child wins her the devotion of young Roy, while her burgeoning romance with Sir Barry suffers a severe blow when she accidentally overhears him pleading with a veiled young woman whom he has kept secret from society. Heartbroken and disillusioned by deception, Dolores retreats inward, while Jantie seeks sanctuary within the quiet walls of the Convent of St. Marguerite, adopting the name Sister Jean and devoting herself to nursing the sick and teaching the younger pupils.

Back home and abroad, the lives of the characters continue to intersect through letters, chance meetings, and social calls. Major Gray and his spirited niece Blondine navigate summer property disputes, while Lord Streathmere seeks a suitable match. Sir Barry, haunted by his past mistakes and recognizing the noble character of Jantie, works to ensure her a rightful, acknowledged place in society, eventually earning the quiet approval of high-bred figures like Lady Streathmere.

As the narrative circles back to the Litchfield household, older tensions soften. Mr. Vacine opens his grand estate and art gallery to Zoe, fostering her love for painting and securing her future, though she playfully rebuffs the persistent affections of Ned Crane. With long-buried scandals brought to light, past separations healed, and romantic misunderstandings untangled, the characters find their various paths resolved. The novel closes as Zoe laughingly evades a direct commitment to Ned by teasingly promising him her hand "some day."

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Gordon Aubrey visits Mrs. St. James and Rea Severn to discuss upcoming yachting trips and theater outings while a heavy rain falls outside. Rea resolves to attend the excursion and openly declares her intention to snub Dolores Litchfield.

Fortunes and secrets During a yachting outing, members of the party have their fortunes told by a gipsy, prompting secret fears and lighthearted banter. Dolores separates herself from the card-reading and later comforts a crying child left behind by Mrs. St. James.

The convent refuge Fleeing the emotional wreckage of Sir Barry's secret life, Jantie Mackeith collapses at the gates of the Convent of St. Marguerite. Taken in by Mother St. Marguerite without questions being asked, she becomes the gentle Sister Jean, beloved by the pupils and the poor.

Awaiting the future Zoe begins visiting Mr. Vacine's grand estate and takes art gallery lessons funded by the lonely old man. Meanwhile, major discoveries unfold across mining camps and theaters as Sir Barry works to clear Jantie's name and secure her social standing.

Some day Seasons shift back to winter, and Ned Crane persistently courts Zoe in the warm firelight of her home. Refusing to offer an immediate surrender, Zoe escapes into the dining hall with a clear, ringing laugh and her characteristic refrain of "Some Day."

The People

Zoe Litchfield is a lively, sharp-tongued young woman with a passion for art and music who longs to explore the forbidden gardens of Mr. Vacine's estate. She resists the romantic overtures of Ned Crane, ultimately keeping him waiting with a teasing laugh.

Dolores Litchfield, Zoe’s sister, possesses a deep sympathy for children and the vulnerable, leading her to champion neglected little Roy. She falls deeply for Sir Barry Traleigh, only to have her heart broken by the discovery of his hidden marital entanglements before eventually finding peace.

Sir Barry Traleigh is a polished society figure whose hidden past and secret marriage to Jantie cause profound emotional turmoil for those who trust him. Driven by a late-arriving conscience, he works to right his wrongs and claim his true desires.

Jantie Mackeith is a proud, wronged young woman determined never to be despised for a sin she did not commit. She finds safe harbor as Sister Jean in a convent before her dignity is finally restored to the public sphere.

Mr. Blois Vacine is a wealthy, lonely old man living in gloomy grandeur who opens his heart and estate to Zoe after losing his own nephew to a hasty argument.

Ned Crane is an earnest, devoted admirer who patiently pursues Zoe through years of witty sparring, hoping she will eventually abandon her playful resistance.

In Its Own Voice

Describing the charming yet superficial nature of a familiar social caller:

"Mr. Aubrey was tall, slight and fair."

Capturing a moment of quiet domestic irritation within the Litchfield household:

"Zoe's eyes blazed; it was on the tip of her quick tongue to say, 'I won't;' but an inward sense of politeness forbade her to do so."

Evoking the melancholic atmosphere of a song drifting through a moonlit garden:

"Never to know the heart that's aching All for our sake, and almost breaking."

What It's Really About

The novel explores the tension between personal ambition and the rigid moral expectations placed upon young women in the Victorian era. It questions whether public reputation can ever truly align with private reality, contrasting the artificial gloss of high-society leisure with genuine emotional sacrifice. Through the parallel journeys of Zoe and Dolores, the book examines how women navigate betrayal, autonomy, and class boundaries. It argues that true redemption requires active atonement rather than passive regret, suggesting that patience and self-possession will eventually bring about one's desired future.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of authorship, Victorian sentimentality, and rare nineteenth-century Canadian literature will find this book deeply fascinating. Knowing that the author composed the work as a teenager gives the text an earnest, unpolished charm that reflects the literary tastes and moral conventions of its period. Reading it feels akin to opening a faded, pressed-flower album of Victorian daydreams, complete with dramatic coincidences, picturesque settings, and high-society gossip.

Modern readers should approach it prepared for the conventions of its time, including period attitudes toward class and social duty, occasional melodramatic turns, and leisurely nineteenth-century pacing. Yet, beneath the dated conventions, the witty, sharp-tongued dialogue of the Litchfield sisters and the genuine warmth of the narrative create an engaging historical portrait that stays in the memory long after the final page.