Rhoda Fleming

There were joy-bells for Robert and Rhoda, but none for Dahlia and Edward. Dahlia lived seven years her sister's housemate, nurse of the growing swarm. She had gone through fire, as few women have done in like manner, to leave their hearts among the ashes; but with that human heart she left regrets behind her.

Double plot close — marriage bells and ash-heart survival — refuses single redemption arc — so plot scores 90.

Robert was to drive to the station to meet Rhoda and her father returning from London, on a specified day. He was eager to be asking cheerful questions of Dahlia's health and happiness, so that he might dispel the absurd general belief that he had ever loved the girl, and was now regretting her absence; but one look at Rhoda's face when she stepped from the railway carriage kept him from uttering a word on that subject.

Rhoda's face silences Dahlia questions — sister cast as mute verdict before speech — so cast scores 91.

It requires, happily, many years of an ordinary man's life to teach him to believe in the exceeding variety and quantity of things money can buy: yet, when ingenuous minds have fully comprehended the potent character of the metal, they are likely enough to suppose that it will buy everything: after which comes the groaning anxiety to possess it. This stage of experience is a sublime development in the great souls of misers.

Mid-book money-stage essay stalls action into Comic-economic dilation — pace as doctrine pause — so pace scores 86.

Remains of our good yeomanry blood will be found in Kent, developing stiff, solid, unobtrusive men, and very personable women. The distinction survives there between Kentish women and women of Kent, as a true South-eastern dame will let you know.

Breed taxonomy as opening sentence — rural prose classifying before naming Fleming — so prose scores 90.

Major Waring came to Wrexby Hall at the close of the October month. He came to plead his own cause with Mrs. Lovell; but she stopped him by telling him that his friend Robert was in some danger of losing his love.

October Hall as negotiation chamber for pledged hands — county world closing sister plot — so world scores 89.

Remains of our good yeomanry blood will be found in Kent, developing stiff, solid, unobtrusive men, and very personable women.

Breed hook before farm names — tragedy framed as Kent stock under modern pressure — so hook scores 91.

A profound belief in the efficacy of his eloquence, when he chose to expend it, was one of the principal supports of Edward's sense of mastery; a secret sense belonging to certain men in every station of life, and which is the staff of many an otherwise impressible and fluctuating intellect.

Seduction theorized as eloquence-staff of mastery — rural novel as Comic analysis of speech-power — so innov scores 88.

Almost her last words to him, spoken calmly, but with the quaver of breath resembling sobs, were: "Help poor girls."

Dahlia's last charge redirects private ash into social work — ending as ethic, not only marriage bell — so ending scores 92.