The Abbey girls books by Elsie J Oxehnam

The Abbey Girls Win Through

by: Elsie Jeanette (E J ) Oxenham

Amazon Price: $23.50 (as of 05/27/2012)

In this book a series of dramatic events unfold with a number of the characters enduring grief and learning lessons from the experience. spoiler alert! details of the story follow.

Nancy Rowney from Mary Dorothy's old office, is going on holiday to the Hostel which Joy has opened in Whiteways. Mary is living at the Hall after Joy's marriage, to look after Mrs. Shirley, Rosamund and Maidlin, and Joy's responsibilities in the Village, during Joy's honeymoon trip to Kenya. Joy is expected home any day. Jen, recently engaged to Kenneth Marchwood, is staying at the Hall following her father's death.

Mary's first book, a school story, has been published. Nancy visits the Hall to get Mary's autograph for her young stepsister. While she is there, Jen hears devastating news - her mother has suddenly died. Mary, Maidlin and Rosamund are concerned but helpless, so it is Nancy who comforts Jen. Mary is extremely upset by her failure to help Jen. Later, Nancy gives her some new ideas to absorb.

Rosamund had previously arranged with a friend, Pat Mercer and two other girls from school to let them into the Abbey through the secret passages, to tease Jen. Because of Jen's sudden bad news, she goes to tell them the deal is off, but the girls don't understand and are very angry. Rosamund, upset by the quarrel with Pat Mercer and the other girls, won't admit she could have been in the wrong, too.

The Hall's Cook absent looking after her mother, has an accident and scalds herself, so her sister Grace, a maid at the Hall leaves abruptly to look after them both. Nancy offers her services as temporary Cook and moves into the Hall.

Maidlin is scared at Rosamund and Mary's suggestion that although Joy is coming home after a year in Kenya, she will have her husband with her and therefore things will change. In helping her to put Joy's wishes first, Jen starts the process of helping Maidlin to grow up. Joy comes home without Andrew who remained in Kenya to go on a last safari. She learns about the domestic crises, and welcomes Nancy to the household.

Joy is anxious about not hearing from Andrew. Kenneth (Andrew's brother) is reassuring, but unfortunately, news comes to him that there is trouble. On the night of Maidlin's crowning as May Queen, Joy and Mary return to the Hall to find a telegram to Joy asking for confirmation of the rumour that every member of Andrew's safari have been killed. Later, news is received by Ken of his brother death. Joy is helped by Nancy and Mary to bear the news. They explain to her that she has to live for the sake of her twin babies.

Rosamund learns that Pat Mercer's father is seriously ill overseas and her mother has gone to be with him. She forgets her own resentment of the fight with Pat, and the girls become friends once more.