This is about a father/son relationship and a third party that impacts on it. Harrington Brande is in the diplomatic service and is posted to Spain, taking his nine-year-old son, Nicholas with him. Brande is bitter about his wife leaving him and his lack of career advancement. He has a controlling personality and oversees his son's upbringing with a strong will, over-protecting him but demonstrating very little affection toward him.
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At their villa, Brande takes on staff, including a young man named José to tend the garden. The gardener is friendly and takes an interest in Nicholas. The boy helps him in the garden and they enjoy spending time together. Garcia, the butler/chauffeur reports this friendship to Brande, and he jealously forbids Nicholas from talking to José again. Further punishment comes when Brande gives the gardener the backbreaking job of building a rockery. José and Nicholas secretly write to each other. When Brande is called to Madrid for his work, José and Nicholas go fishing in the mountains. On their return, Nicholas finds Garcia threatening his wife, who is the housekeeper. José does not want to leave Nicholas in that situation, so takes him to his home the next day. Brande returns and is furious when Garcia tells him what José has done and Garcia shows him what Nicholas has written, stating his affection for José. Brande organizes for a psychiatrist to see Nicholas in the hope of showing that José's interest in the boy is not wholesome. Then Jose is accused of stealing from Brande and Garcia and the police arrest him. Brande is on the same train as José when both are traveling to Barcelona for Jose's trial. SPOILERS When José tries to jump from the train, Brande stops him and José falls on the track and is killed. Months later, Brande has been re-posted to Stockholm. Nicholas has open hatred for his father and makes contact with his mother. He declares that he wants to join his mother in America.
Best part of story, including ending:
I liked the boy's quest for affection
Opinion about the main character:
I like the gardener's kindness
