the girl in blue is a comedic novel by PG wouse first published in 1970 the story follows a series of misunder understandings impostures and coincidences involving a valuable gainsboro miniature painting and the Romantic entanglements of its cast of characters the protagonist Young American Attorney Jerry West arrives in England to assist his law firm in settling the estate of his late client Mr Joseph frencham part of the estate includes a valuable miniature by the famous painter Gainesboro ref
erred to as the girl in blue Jerry discovers that the Gainesboro is missing stolen by Mr French's niece ma frencham who had hoped to pawn it to bail her fiance George Chippendale out of false accusations of embezzlement in parallel we meet Wilfred the Earl of havers shot a Charming but somewhat irresponsible young nobleman with a penchant for falling in love and engaging in impulsive acts he falls in love at first sight with a young woman he he sees but does not meet who happens to be ma Wilfred
later becomes embroiled in the painting's taale when he pursues ma who he calls the girl in blue due to their first encounter Ma and Jerry's paths cross at an inn called the goose and girkin where the Inn's landl Mrs spottsworth describes ma as a girl resembling the painting and tells him that she left the in a while ago so unknowingly on Ma's Trail Jerry is also simultaneously seeking the painting that could resolve George's fraudulent charge since the thief was wearing a Gainesboro brooch tha
t resembled George's fraternity pin throughout the story George remains oblivious to the fact that Ma took the painting for his sake in the meantime Wilfred enlists the help of his good friend the shrewd and Wy solicitor William Bill liser to find the woman he is smitten with Bill also happens to be a cousin of mods Bill advises will wford against pursuing what he fears is a criminal but agrees to help nonetheless he is also tasked with tracking down the painting to avert the Scandal it would br
ing upon the family complications arise when Jerry meets Ma and falls for her not knowing she is the niece of his client and the girl in blue that Wilfred is chasing during this confusion threats of blackmail miscommunication and further thefts transpire as Jerry and Bill attempt to retrieve the painting and clear George without publicizing the Scandal WOD house weaves intricate plot lines as Jerry and Bill come up with an unconventional plan to regain the painting they conceive a ruse to host a
fake burglary at the frencham residence hoping thereby to anonymously return the miniature along with other valuables thus exonerating George without revealing Mod's theft they enlist the help of a known burgler named pilbeam to fake the robbery but the plan goes Ary when pill beam tempted by an actual ual opportunity to steal absconds with the loot intending to turn it over for a reward and bask in public agulation in classic W house fashion pill beam is ultimately outwitted by Bill and Wilfre
d who have anticipated some duplicity and managed to retrieve the painting in the background Jerry's romantic efforts towards ma intensify as the two come to understand each other's motives and actions better ma realizes Jerry is the man she can love and Trust as he handles the situation with sensitivity and a plum Wilfred realizing that his pursuit of ma is misguided and recognizing her love for Jerry transfers his affections to Bill's sister Jane liser whom he previously slighted wilfred's cha
nge of heart occurs as he comes to recognize in Jane the qualities he truly Desires in a partner by the novel's end All is satisfactorily resolved the girl in blue is safely returned George is cleared of all charges and Jerry and ma are united as a couple Wilfred and Jane also announced their engagement having discovered Mutual affection and compatibility the frencham family reputation remains intact and the series of mistaken identities romantic cross-purposes and legal entanglements reach a ha
rmonious conclusion engendering relief and happiness among the characters through a series of comedic accidents discreet Maneuvers and lastminute Revelations W house crafts a narrative that binds love law and the PEC UL arities of human nature into a delightful Escapade the novel's resolution embodies the author's signature style offering a light-hearted and humorous examination of upper class English society and its eccentricities at the time all brought together by the central motif of the Gai
nesboro miniature the girl in blue
Comments