Lady in White

Many if not most self proclaimed, naturalized or 'Ex-Pat British in the Chicago area can trace their Chicago area roots, back ten generations or to the war of 1812 when their ancestors came to fight, and when it was over-stayed on. Moreover making their customs and life styles (including those pesky titles) part of Americana. They settled in what is now North West Chicago, Evanston and beyond. The Kings English was spoken in a most formal, and to the point manner. Always using a long sentence, when a short one would suffice. This story takes place in the mid to late 1940s after WWII. The setting is one very British region complete with its manor houses (mini castles 4-6000 sq.ft. of living space on estates measuring in hundreds of acres). Steve Thompson, a young art teacher, assists a mysterious and distressed woman dressed entirely in white; but later learns that she has escaped from an asylum. Soon afterward, he travels to La Grange House, having been hired as a Fine Arts Teacher on the recommendation of his friend, Ferara, an Italian language master. The La Grange household comprises the invalid Frederick Farley, and Steve's students: Marijoy Farley, Mr. Farley's niece, and Merium Owens, her devoted half-sister. Steve realizes that Marijoy bears an astonishing resemblance to the woman in white, who is known to the household by the name of Anne Catherick: a mentally disabled child who formerly lived near La Grange, and was devoted to Marijoy's mother. The late Mrs. Farley was who first dressed her entirely in white. Anne will continue the chic fashion for the rest of her life. To complicate maters Steve falls helplessly and hopelessly in love with wish the betrowhed Marijoy, and is socially and professionally precluded from expressing it. Soon the palace intrigues begin; to gain control of $90,000 in 1920s dollars (Est. $40,000,000 today) with suspicious and not so suspicious deaths, kidnappings, fraud all in the pursuit of ill gotten gains.