No Name (1862)
by Wilkie Collins

No Name (1862) by Wilkie Collins is a 19th-century novel revolving upon the issue of illegitimacy. The story begins in 1846, at Combe-Raven in West Somersetshire, the country residence of the happy Vanstone family. When Andrew Vanstone is killed suddenly in an accident and his wife follows shortly thereafter, it is revealed that they were not married at the time of their daughters' births, making their daughters "Nobody's Children" in the eyes of English law and robbing them of their inheritance. Andrew Vanstone's elder brother Michael gleefully takes possession of his brother's fortune, leaving his nieces to make their own way in the world. Norah, the elder sister, accepts her misfortune gracefully, but the headstrong Magdalen is determined to have her revenge. Using her dramatic talent and assisted by wily swindler Captain Wragge, Magdalen plots to regain her rightful inheritance. The play was most recently broadcast as a Radio 4 extra series, beginning December 2014.

178652No Name1862Wilkie Collins

TO

FRANCIS CARR BEARD


(FELLOW OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND),

IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE TIME WHEN

THE CLOSING SCENES OF THIS STORY WERE WRITTEN.

Preface

THE FIRST SCENE: COMBE-RAVEN, SOMERSETSHIRE.

BETWEEN THE SCENES: PROGRESS OF THE STORY THROUGH THE POST.

THE SECOND SCENE: SKELDERGATE, YORK.

BETWEEN THE SCENES: CHRONICLE OF EVENTS: PRESERVED IN CAPTAIN WRAGGE'S DISPATCH-BOX.

THE THIRD SCENE: VAUXHALL WALK, LAMBETH.

BETWEEN THE SCENES: PROGRESS OF THE STORY THROUGH THE POST.

THE FOURTH SCENE: ALDBOROUGH, SUFFOLK.

BETWEEN THE SCENES: PROGRESS OF THE STORY THROUGH THE POST.

THE FIFTH SCENE: BALIOL COTTAGE, DUMFRIES.

BETWEEN THE SCENES: PROGRESS OF THE STORY THROUGH THE POST.

THE SIXTH SCENE: ST. JOHN'S WOOD.

BETWEEN THE SCENES: PROGRESS OF THE STORY THROUGH THE POST.

THE SEVENTH SCENE: ST. CRUX-IN-THE-MARSH.

BETWEEN THE SCENES: PROGRESS OF THE STORY THROUGH THE POST.

THE LAST SCENE: AARON'S BUILDINGS

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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