Summary
Summary of The Princess of the School
Key ideas
Key idea 1
A home becomes a question
The Ingleton family have always thought of Cheverley Chase as their home. Then a cousin they have never met inherits it, leaving them to face a stranger with a claim they cannot ignore. The stranger is a dark-eyed girl from Sicily, and she does not even want the estate.
Behind the school pranks, plays and picnics sits a quiet question about fairness: what happens when the home one family expects to keep belongs to someone else?
Key idea 2
Everard takes his future for granted
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Key idea 3
Pride sends Everard away
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Key idea 4
Carmel offers friendship instead of ownership
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Key idea 5
Gentleness has courage behind it
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Key idea 6
A chauffeur brings Everard back
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Key idea 7
School friendship turns outward
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Key idea 8
Carmel makes room for others
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Key idea 9
Generosity becomes a kind of rank
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The rest of the summary, written and spoken, and the whole book: free to start.
Read the rest freeWho it’s for
You will enjoy it if you love school stories, old English country houses, close friendships between girls, and sunny travel scenes from Sicily, told with gentle humour and kind hearts.
What this book is
What would you do if a stranger inherited the home you had always thought was yours? In The Princess of the School, Angela Brazil tells of the Ingleton family, who lose Cheverley Chase to a cousin they have never met. Their cousin is a dark-eyed girl from Sicily who does not want it. You get a warm school story of pranks, plays and picnics, with a quiet question about what is fair.
In this summary
- 1Everard believes he is the young squireFree
- 2A reckless joyride leaves a puzzling clue
- 3The old squire dies and the will shocks everyone
- 4The heiress who refuses to act like one
- 5School life at Chilcombe Hall brings out her courage
- 6A chauffeur named Johnson is not what he seems
- 7Secret societies, Halloween tricks and a carriage for Phyllis
- 8Two homes and a growing friendship
- 9What the story is about and how it is told
Key point 1 of 9
Everard believes he is the young squire
The story opens a week before Christmas at Chilcombe Hall, where Lilias and Dulcie Ingleton ride home on horses sent by their grandfather. Their home is Cheverley Chase, an old estate ruled by kindly but bossy Mr. Leslie Ingleton, with calm Cousin Clare keeping the peace.
The six orphaned grandchildren have lived there since their parents died on the Titanic. Their eldest brother, Everard, aged seventeen, walks the garden like an owner. He tells his sisters that the Chase always passes to the eldest grandson, and that he will look after the rest. Dulcie asks why it should not be shared, and he calls her a baby.
This first scene sets up everything that follows. Everard has been raised to expect a fortune and has never worked for anything. The reader sees both his charm and his pride, and senses that life is about to test them.
That’s 1 of 9 key points.
The rest of the summary, written and spoken, and the whole book: free to start.
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Check yourself
Why does Everard leave for London after his grandfather's death?
Right. “He cannot bear to face the servants who called him the young squire.”Not quite. “He cannot bear to face the servants who called him the young squire.”
How does Carmel respond to her cousins' feelings about the Chase?
Right. “Carmel owns the Chase on paper, but she gives her cousins an equal share in everything.”Not quite. “Carmel owns the Chase on paper, but she gives her cousins an equal share in everything.”
What do the girls do after meeting Phyllis?
Right. “They decide to help pay for a proper invalid carriage, and each bedroom puts on its own entertainment.”Not quite. “They decide to help pay for a proper invalid carriage, and each bedroom puts on its own entertainment.”
Questions about The Princess of the School
What is The Princess of the School about?
It follows the Ingleton family after their grandfather leaves the family estate to a cousin from Sicily. Carmel arrives at the Chase and then joins her cousins at school, where friendships and adventures help her settle into English life.
Who is Carmel in The Princess of the School?
Carmel, also called Leslie Ingleton, is the daughter of Tristram, the old squire's elder son. She grows up in Sicily, is named heiress of Cheverley Chase, and wins everyone's love with her kindness and courage.
Where is the story set?
The story centres on Chilcombe Hall school and Cheverley Chase in England. Carmel also explores the English countryside on a motor tour.
Is The Princess of the School easy to read?
Yes, in the sense that the chapters are short and lively, the dialogue is chatty, and the school scenes, plays and picnics keep the story moving. It reads like a warm, friendly adventure for girls.
What is the main message of the book?
The book suggests that kindness, fairness and a generous heart matter more than rank or property. Carmel and Everard both learn what it means to belong, and to give freely.
