But at the Stroke of Midnight (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Sylvia Townsend Warner
- First Published: 1971
- Type of Plot: Psychological
- Time of Work: The late 1960's
- Setting: London and its environs
- Principal Characters: Mrs. Lucy Ridpath, Aston Ridpath, Vere, Mrs. Barker
- Genres: Psychological fiction, Short fiction
- Subjects: Middle classes, Alienation, Cats, Death or dying, Adventure
- Locales: London, England
The Story
One ordinary Saturday, Mrs. Lucy Ridpath, from all appearances a typical routine-oriented housewife, leaves her home without informing her husband or anyone where she is going. Her husband Aston feels guilty that because of an “unlucky moment of inattention,” he failed to listen or attend to her, part of his practice of taking her for granted. His sister Vere advises him to call the police; otherwise, he might be suspected of murder.
Taking on the identity of Aurelia Lefanu, Lucy's cousin, whose flightiness and adventurous personality “exert a powerful...
[The entire page is 1682 words long]
