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Audiobook edition · 30 h 4 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What does an heir inherit when the world sees his body before it sees the man?
At Brockhurst, the birth of a son promises to secure the Calmady name and estate. But Richard Calmady is born with severely malformed legs, into a society that prizes appearance, rank and duty. His mother, Katherine, surrounds him with fierce love. Beyond her protection waits a world less willing to see him clearly.
In The History of Sir Richard Calmady: A Romance, Lucas Malet follows Richard toward manhood, love and the demands of inheritance. Honoria St Quentin offers steady, honest affection, while Helen Verney tests his faith in being truly seen. As pride meets longing, Richard must ask what makes him worthy beyond his body and his name.
What you’ll discover
- An heir under scrutiny Enter a great country estate where family expectations weigh heavily on one young life.
- Love that shelters Meet Katherine, whose tender devotion raises difficult questions about protection and independence.
- The world's judging gaze Follow Richard beyond home as other people's reactions test his sense of worth.
- Pride meets desire Explore the longing to be loved where marriage also serves a family name.
- A life beyond appearance Find a searching character study that places human dignity above beauty, rank and physical ability.
Who will love it
Readers who love big Victorian family sagas, country houses, and secrets handed down through generations. It suits anyone drawn to strong mothers, flawed heroes, and honest questions about faith and pride.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Brockhurst carries a family curse of early death
- A happy marriage meets a sudden loss
- Julius March finds the chapbook and its prophecy
- A crippled heir is born to a grieving mother
- Dickie grows up in a sheltered little kingdom
- Defiance and the pull of the racing stables
- Helen de Vallorbes brings desire and danger
- A broken engagement sends Richard into reckless living
- The book asks why suffering falls on the innocent
- Society, disability, and how the tale is told
Who’s who
- Richard CalmadyHeir of Brockhurst, born with shortened legs, proud and gifted, he wants a life of his own and a love that sees him whole.
- Katherine CalmadyHis mother, a widow of strong will and deep faith, who wants above all to shield her son and to understand why he suffers.
- Julius MarchA shy, scholarly priest and librarian, who serves the family faithfully and searches for the meaning of sacrifice.
- Dr. John KnottA rough, honest country doctor who distrusts sentiment and wants to give the boy a fair chance at health and self-reliance.
- Helen de VallorbesRichard's witty, restless cousin, bored by her marriage, who treats desire as a game and wants every admirer at her feet.
- Honoria St. QuentinA tall, outspoken cousin and friend of the family, independent and idealistic, who wants to help others and speak the truth.
- Roger OrmistonKatherine's brother, a soldier and sportsman, loyal and blunt, who wants to guard his sister and guide his nephew.
- Mary CathcartA warm, plain neighbor with a kind heart, who loves children and horses and wants a settled life of her own.
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- On your phone, tablet or computer, once the book texts are online.
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- Read by Lucas Linden, complete. It opens once the recording is online.
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- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
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- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
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The History of Sir Richard Calmady: A Romance
by Lucas Malet · 1901
A curse on Brockhurst promises a child with red-gold hair, blue eyes and feet that never know a stocking or shoe.
ChallengingOver 20 hours to readDeutsch
Excellent
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In short
What if a family curse waited for one particular child, and that child was born to the people who least deserved it? The History of Sir Richard Calmady opens on a red brick house in Berkshire, a bride on a terrace at twilight, and an old rhyme hidden behind a dusty shelf.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Brockhurst carries a family curse of early death
The novel begins with a house, not a person. Denzil Calmady builds Brockhurst in red brick and freestone, finishing it in 1611 with a royal housewarming. He is a scholar, poet and collector, and the house shows it. He brings ivories and bronzes from Italy, and paintings from the Low Countries.
Yet one measure always comes up short. No Calmady man has lived to a peaceful old age in his bed. Sir Thomas dies of a wound from a buck's antler, and Zachary is stabbed in a Strand tavern. Others fall by duel, by lightning, by drowning, and at the hands of highwaymen. The statue of Sir Denzil gazes down from the north gable, ruler in hand, and has never seen an old Calmady basking among the roses.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 14 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1901
- Language
- Deutsch
- Reading time
- 19 h 35 min
- Level
- Challenging
Cite this edition
Malet, Lucas. The History of Sir Richard Calmady: A Romance. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-history-of-sir-richard-calmady-a-romance.
Malet, L. (2026). The history of Sir Richard Calmady: A romance. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-history-of-sir-richard-calmady-a-romance (Original work published 1901)
Malet, Lucas. The History of Sir Richard Calmady: A Romance. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-history-of-sir-richard-calmady-a-romance.
@book{malet2026history,
author = {Malet, Lucas},
title = {The History of Sir Richard Calmady: A Romance},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-history-of-sir-richard-calmady-a-romance},
note = {First published 1901}
}
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What is The History of Sir Richard Calmady about?
It tells the story of a Berkshire baronet born with deformed legs, his devoted mother Katherine, and the old curse on his family home, Brockhurst. It follows his youth, his loves, his anger, and his search for meaning.
What is the curse of Brockhurst?
An old chapbook tells how a wronged forester's daughter cursed the Calmady line. Its owners die young and violently until a fatherless, only child with red-gold hair, blue eyes, and an unshod foot answers the mourner's cry with generosity.
Who is Julius March in the novel?
Julius is Richard's cousin, a gentle Oxford scholar who becomes the household chaplain and librarian at Brockhurst. He finds the chapbook, serves the family faithfully, and offers one of the book's main views on suffering.
The author
Lucas Malet
1852–1931 · English novelist
Lucas Malet was the pen name of Mary St Leger Kingsley, an English novelist and daughter of Charles Kingsley; The History of Sir Richard Calmady, her boldest and most widely discussed novel, brought her both fame and controversy at the turn of the century.
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