White Youth

From the cloistered serenity of a convent, the unseasoned Aline Ann Belame is thrust into the opulent, yet rigidly patriarchal, world of her hitherto unknown grandfather, General Belame. A summons, imbued with the promise of domesticity and a pre-ordained matrimonial bliss, quickly curdles into a stark confrontation with a preposterous reality: her intended, Monsieur Cayetane, is an antique relic of a man. This jarring disillusionment ignites a nascent rebellion within Aline, drawing her towards the rugged, capable presence of Burton Striker, a craftsman engaged in fortifying the General's vinous treasures. Their clandestine affections blossom, only to be violently exposed, culminating in a farcical duel where a misplaced bullet, rather than a point of honor, shatters a prized pipe, ironically shattering Aline's inconvenient engagement. Yet, the General's continued obstinacy regarding his blessing meets its match in Burton's shrewd leverage over the wine cellar's impenetrable secrets, forcing a rare, albeit grudging, capitulation from the old patriarch.