Charity Castle

Summary

In an evocative tableau of early 20th-century American life, 'Charity Castle' unfurls the poignant saga of young Charity, an orphan thrust into an unfamiliar world following the demise of her impoverished cleaning woman mother. Along with her brother, she finds an unlikely sanctuary under the wing of Merlin Durand, the scion of a parsimonious millionaire. Charity, a child of unyielding imagination, rechristens Merlin as 'The Prince,' imbuing their stark reality with the vibrant hues of her cherished fairy tales. This delicate balance is shattered when Merlin's penny-pinching patriarch, in a fit of fiscal discipline, severs his allowance and absconds for a 'water cure,' leaving the grand family estate deserted as the household staff promptly decamp for their own vacations. With nowhere else to turn, Charity and Merlin covertly occupy the cavernous mansion, which Charity, with her boundless optimism, christens 'Charity Castle.' Their clandestine existence soon intertwines with a curious coterie of society's fringes, including a resourceful burglar and an eloquent, yet unemployed, Shakespearean actor, transforming their hideout into a stage for the unexpected interplay of dreams and destitution.

Synopsis

Charity and her young brother are taken in by Merlin Durand, the son of a penurious millionaire, when their mother, a poor cleaning woman, dies. Charity is a strong believer in the world of fairy tales, and calls Merlin "The Prince". Merlin's cheapskate father cuts off his allowance until he gets a job and earns a salary, then leaves home for a "water cure". His servants immediately take a vacation, leaving the house empty, so Charity and Merlin hide there until Merlin can find a job. Charity begins to call the mansion "Charity Castle". They soon wind up involved with a strange cast of characters, including a burglar and an unemployed Shakespearean actor.