Author Finola Austin introduces her new historical fiction novel, Brontë’s Mistress. This well-researched book delves into the life of Lydia Robinson and her encounters with the Brontë siblings.
In Yorkshire, 1843, Lydia Robinson, the mistress of Thorp Green Hall, endures the loss of her young daughter and mother within a single year. She returns home grappling with grief. With rebellious teenage daughters, a critical mother-in-law, and a distant marriage, Lydia is restless and craves change.
Everything shifts when Branwell Brontë, her son’s new tutor and brother to her daughters’ governess Anne Brontë, arrives. Branwell, who struggles with his own expectations, becomes an exciting presence for Lydia. At 25, he is young, handsome, and free from societal constraints, while she is 43. Their mutual love for poetry, music, and theatre draws them together, with Branwell’s vivid stories of his sisters’ imaginative worlds setting the stage for romance.
However, Lydia’s newfound passion comes with its risks. Branwell’s unstable behavior, combined with gossip from servants, soon captures the attention of his protective sisters, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne. Lydia finds herself racing against time to protect her reputation and her way of life before the Brontë sisters unveil her secrets in their novels.
Meticulously researched and engagingly portrayed, Brontë’s Mistress reimagines a scandalous affair and offers a vivid portrait of a sharp-witted woman striving to keep her dignity intact.
Guest Post by Finola Austin
From a young age, I was captivated by the works of the Brontë sisters. Charlotte’s Jane Eyre enchanted me with its unfair childhood, brooding hero, and attic-bound wife. Later, as a teenager, I dove into Emily’s Wuthering Heights, full of intense emotions and drama. I also read Emily’s poetry, Charlotte’s other novels, and Anne’s works — Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.
The Brontë family’s writings were remarkable, as were their lives. Growing up, I thought the Brontë legacy consisted of just the three sisters until I read Lynne Reid Banks’s Dark Quartet, which introduced me to Branwell Brontë. Destined for greatness but never achieving it, Branwell dealt with artistic aspirations and personal demons, ultimately dying young, at 31, without fulfilling his potential. History often blames Lydia Robinson for his downfall.
In 2016, I became determined to explore Lydia’s story. I had known of the rumors about her affair with Branwell, but reading Elizabeth Gaskell’s biography of Charlotte Brontë revealed the intensity of Lydia’s vilification. Gaskell painted her as a woman who led Branwell astray.
I spent a year deeply researching the Branwell-Lydia affair to write a nuanced portrayal of Lydia beyond the usual stereotypes. Branwell tutored Lydia’s son, while Anne Brontë had long served as the daughters’ governess. My research uncovered fascinating details about the dynamics between the Brontë and Robinson families.
Whether the affair truly happened is still debated. Lydia even considered suing Gaskell for libel, which led to the withdrawal of some claims. Was Lydia a seductress or was Branwell delusional? Theories about their relationship are as dramatic as the plots of the Brontë sisters’ novels.
In crafting my book, I aimed to humanize Lydia and make her the central figure, rather than focusing on Branwell’s troubles. My version of Lydia is complex—selfish at times, sharp-tongued, and struggling against the restrictive roles for women in 19th-century society. She’s my counterpoint to Jane Eyre. While Brontë’s heroines are often poor, plain, young, and virginal, the experiences of a beautiful, wealthy, older, and more experienced woman also deserve to be told. Brontë’s Mistress is dedicated to women throughout history who never got to write their stories, Lydia Robinson being one of them.
About Finola Austin
Finola Austin, known for her award-winning blog “The Secret Victorianist,” is a historical novelist from England, raised in Northern Ireland, and currently based in Brooklyn. Brontë’s Mistress is her debut novel. By day, she works in digital advertising. Connect with her online at www.finolaaustin.com, or follow her on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.
