Doctor Thorne

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Doctor Thorne is the third novel in Anthony Trollope's series known as the "Chronicles of Barsetshire", published in 1858. It is mainly concerned with the romantic problems of Mary Thorne, niece of Doctor Thomas Thorne (a member of a junior branch of the family of Mr Wilfred Thorne who appeared in Barchester Towers), and Frank Gresham, the eldest son of the local squire.

The idea of the plot was suggested to Trollope by his brother Thomas.

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

When their father dies, Doctor Thomas Thorne and his younger, ne'er-do-well brother Henry are left to fend for themselves. Doctor Thorne begins to establish a medical practice, while Henry seduces Mary Scatcherd, the sister of stonemason Roger Scatcherd. When Scatcherd finds out that Mary has become pregnant, he seeks out Henry and, in the ensuing fight, kills him.

While her brother is in prison, Mary gives birth to a girl. A former suitor offers to marry her and emigrate to start a new life, but refuses to take the baby. Doctor Thorne persuades her to accept the generous offer, promising to raise his niece. He names her Mary Thorne, but not wishing to have her illegitimacy made public nor have her associate with the uncouth Roger Scatcherd, he keeps her birth secret from all except one person. He tells Scatcherd that the baby had died.

After his release, Scatcherd rises quickly in the world. In time, his skills make him extremely rich. When he completes a seemingly-impossible important project on time, he is created a baronet for his efforts. Throughout his career, he entrusts his financial affairs to Doctor Thorne. When Thorne becomes the family doctor to the Greshams, he persuades Thorne to loan ever growing sums to the head of the family, the local squire. Eventually, much of the Gresham estate is put up as collateral.

Meanwhile, Mary grows up with the Gresham children and becomes a great favorite with the whole family. As a result, Thorne feels obliged to tell his friend the squire her secret.

Mary falls in love with Frank Gresham, the son and heir of the squire of Greshamsbury and nephew of Countess De Courcy, and he with her. However, his parents desperately need him to marry wealth, in order to rescue them from the financial distress resulting from the squire's repeated expensive and fruitless political aspirations.

His snobbish mother and aunt wish him to marry an eccentric, if kind-hearted heiress, Martha Dunstable, and thereby acquire the money needed to redeem the trust deeds from Scatchard. He reluctantly visits his aunt at Courcy Castle in order to meet her. They become friends and he foolishly and playfully proposes. She demurs, knowing that he does not love her, and he tells her about Mary.

Sir Roger is a drunkard, and Doctor Thorne tries in vain to get him to curtail his drinking. In his will, he stipulates that bulk of his estate go to his odious, dissolute only son Louis, but leaves Doctor Thorne in control of the inheritance until the heir reaches the age of twenty-five. If Louis were to die before then, the wealth would then go to his sister Mary's eldest child. This puts Doctor Thorne in an ethical dilemma, so that he is finally forced to divulge Mary's history, but Scatcherd leaves the will unchanged.

The patient eventually dies of his excesses, and Sir Louis inherits his vast wealth. Conveniently, the son proves to be just as much an alcoholic as the father and his weaker constitution causes him to quickly suffer the same fate. After consulting with many lawyers, Doctor Thorne confirms that his Mary is the heiress, much richer even than Miss Dunstable.

Unaware of these proceedings, the more-resolute Frank finally convinces his doting father to consent to his marriage to Mary. When all is revealed, everyone is elated, even Frank's mother and Countess De Courcy.