Who Would Have Daughters?
By Marguerite Steen
Mr. Fred Anerley, a quiet little clerk in ‘trade’ by day, is immensely proud of his three beautiful daughters and wife.
Although struggling to build his career, the moment he walks through the door at home, he transforms into his authoritative role as Head of the House. Nothing pleases him more than the attention he gets from his girls and the comments of appreciation that pass the lips of those who see him with his little girls.
Flora, the eldest, is the most beautiful of them all. And she knows it. Using her looks and uncanny ability to capture the attention and heart of any male she sets her heart on, she leaves her younger sisters facing the consequences of her actions.
Ellen, the middle sister, is the clever one in the family. Fully aware of the struggles her family have faced, she is determined to use the power of education to further her career so she can share the support of the family with her father. As she gets older, her once beloved father becomes someone she is almost ashamed of. Could this be a natural consequence of her dislike of men?
The baby of the family, Mavis, is set to follow Flora in looks. But education was not for her. More inclined towards homeliness, Mrs Anerley decides to withdraw her from school to fund Ellen’s education. Sheltered from her elder sister’s behaviours, Mavis is naïve and lonely.
Mrs. Anerley’s ways of raising her girls was to ensure they portrayed the attitude and social etiquette of their time. Although polite and well-bred, the girls sheltered existence, along with their father’s inability to accept that his baby girls had grown up, leads to a lifelong way of living that is unbreakable and unable to flex to modern ways.
Marguerite Steenwas raised by her adoptive parents, Joseph and Margaret Jane Steen. Following her private education, Steen went on to become a primary school teacher. Years later, she followed her ambitions and started working in theatre. Her first publication, The Gilt Cage, was written when she was unemployed. Although, Steen had written her first book at the age of eight.
