Inside the story
Meet Norah Joyce
Phelim Joyce's daughter, a well-educated and exceptionally beautiful young Irish woman who works hard to support her father and is deeply devoted to him. She falls in love with Arthur Severn but wishes to continue her education before becoming his wife.
On the page
A young woman, tall and beautifully proportioned, with a long slender neck, rounded shoulders, and a delicate oval face. Her rich raven-black hair is coiled high at the back with a tortoiseshell comb; she has large black-blue eyes, luxuriant black eyebrows, long curling lashes, a somewhat sunburnt forehead, and very sunburnt, work-worn hands. She wears a grey homespun shawl, a printed-chintz jacket over a crimson homespun petticoat, grey homespun stockings, and thick wide-toed country shoes.
