Eleanor by Julian Fane (Constable, 1993)

 

Eleanor is a curious novel that chronicles the early life of its heroine, Eleanor Carty, who is born illegitimate in 1905 and raised by two spinster sisters who run a home for children born out of wedlock in a London suburb.  She grows into a beautiful young woman and talented pianist, and at 17 makes a disastrous marriage to David Ashken, a brilliant but brutal violinist.  She manages to escape from his abuse and eventually divorce him, and moves to America, where she becomes an actress in touring companies of Broadway plays.  But after a few years the death of one of her Auntys returns her to London, where she falls in love with a handsome and talented actor who is unfortunately 35 years older than she -- an age difference that forces him to leave her.  Heartbroken, she once again moves to America, this time living in Santa Barbara in a cottage on the estate of Virginia Heim, a millionaire heiress, who is kind and affectionate and sponsors Eleanor as she resumes her study of the piano, which leads to a career of being two of a four-handed piano duo.  She is courted by a beautiful Scottish nobleman who she does not love but marries for security and returns with him to England.

Eleanor is an appealing creation: beautiful, talented, intelligent, honest, independent, strong-willed.  Her story is interesting and original and Fane's writing is succinct and elegant.  It reminded me a little bit of Penelope Gilliat's oddly brilliant and unusual books.  I'd like to learn more about Fane, and read more of his work.  I remember loving his first book, Morning, an incandescent memoir about early childhood.