Gertrude Atherton - Ancestors: A Novel

Flora, the daughter of a clergyman, grew up the playmate of the castle children but learned early on that a certain prettiness and good breeding did not put her in the same class as her friends. With the sudden death of her father and no chance of a rich husband, poverty was looming and the young woman may be forced to earn her living. As a companion to Lady Victoria Gwynne, she meets an American cousin come to trace her ancestry. — Summary by Lynne Thompson