The Foundling

Summary

In the shadow of a burgeoning early 20th-century metropolis, 'The Foundling' unfolds as a poignant tapestry of abandonment and the arduous quest for familial restoration. David King, a painter whose creative fervor is eclipsed only by the profound desolation following his wife's demise, finds himself incapable of nurturing his newborn daughter, Molly. In a moment of existential frailty, he consigns the infant to the sterile indifference of an orphanage. Years transform into a decade of regret, prompting a now-prosperous King to reclaim the child he discarded. However, the narrative trajectory veers into Dickensian gloom as Molly, rather than awaiting rescue in a sanctuary, has been bartered into domestic servitude at a harsh boarding house. The plot thickens with a layer of calculated deception: the orphanage's matron, driven by a cynical opportunism, conspires to install her own niece as the legitimate heiress to King’s affection and fortune. What ensues is a labyrinthine struggle of identity and class, where the visceral resilience of a 'slavey' girl clashes with the artifice of high-society pretenders, ultimately questioning whether the bonds of blood can penetrate the veils of time and systemic neglect.

Synopsis

Rich artist David King sends his infant daughter Molly to an orphanage, then years later regrets it and tries to find her. She's sent to slave at a boarding house, and the mistress of the orphanage passes her niece off as Molly.