About Andrew from Poole and Rachel from Swanage, who meet, fall in love, and discover a mutual interest in Thomas Hardy (and especially the novel The Hand of Ethelberta, which he wrote mainly in Swanage).
The conversation now took a more serious tone. âOf all the characters in Hardyâs novelsâ, I said, âwhich is your favourite?â
âEthelberta, without a doubtâ, Rachel replied.
âFrom his eponymous novel, The Hand of Ethelberta?â
âIn fact, by coincidenceâ, she said, âthat is the novel I am currently readingâ.
âItâs some time since I read itâ, I said. âSo please remind me of the story.â In fact, this was the only one of Hardyâs novels that I did not possess a copy of.
âOver there to our right. See the Old Harry Rocks, at the end of Handfast Point? Ethelberta rode her donkey from Swanage along the top of Ballard Down towards the Old Harry Rocks, and then doubled back towards Nine Barrow Down and Corfe Castle.â
âWhere she met Lord Mountclereâ, I said. âYes, itâs all coming back to me now.â
âTo me, one of joys of the novel is that itâs all set right here, in Purbeckâ, Rachel continued. âIn fact, Hardy came to Swanage in order to complete the work.â