Daughters &
Sons

At 85 years of age Sabine Ponsonby seldom speaks anything but evil of any human being and maintains a tyrannous control over her large family.

BRIEF PLOT SUMMARY

In a stifling household ruled by the 84-year-old tyrant Sabine Ponsonby and her equally domineering daughter Hetta, the five motherless Ponsonby grandchildren - Clare (25), Frances (24), Chilton (18), Victor (17) and little Muriel (11) - live under constant criticism and rigid control. Their father John Ponsonby, a moderately successful novelist, remains largely absent and ineffectual.

When governess Miss Bunyan dares to announce her departure, Sabine’s icy treatment drives her out mid-dinner. The new tutor Alfred Marcon arrives, while the siblings secretly adapt Frances’s novel into a village play to surprise their father and prove her talent. The performance delights John until he learns his daughter - not one of his sons - is the author, and he savagely criticises her manuscript and warns that publishing it under the Ponsonby name would damage his reputation. Financial strain forces John to cancel his annual London trip. Then a generous admirer sends him a £1,000 cheque, which Sabine and Hetta use to belittle the children’s prospects.

Meanwhile, Frances secretly publishes her novel under the new governess Miss Edith Hallam’s name and wins a £2,000 prize. Sabine discovers the deception and reveals it to John, who promptly proposes to Miss Hallam. Hetta, furious at being displaced after years of running the household, reacts with bitter rage. Hetta’s power crumbles further when she fakes her own suicide by leaving a note and disappearing overnight.

The family endures a night of horror and guilt before she dramatically returns, declaring they have now “learnt their lesson.” However, instead of restoring her authority, her stunt only shows them how much better life would be without her. After Sabine’s death, a web of lies and inheritance intrigue erupts. Alfred tries to manipulate the will for personal gain and proposes to Clare solely for financial advantage, only to withdraw when his expectations are dashed.

Clare soon receives a better proposal from Sir Rowland Seymour, while Hetta accepts a proposal from the comically persistent Reverend Dr Chaucer. By the end, Frances and Chilton look forward with cautious hope as the old tyrannical order finally fractures. The household settles into a fragile new rhythm - with the ever-talkative governess Miss Bunyan returning and Muriel once again giggling at the table.