He'd been a mayor, a merchant, a knight and an alderman. When Sir Joseph Mason, aged seventy, married a woman forty five years younger than him, he became a father again. Sir Joseph was also the owner of a large estate named Groby Park in Yorkshire. This he entrusted to the son of his first marri... more »age, Joseph Mason, Esq. With his clever and bright young wife, Sir Joseph lived a quiet life at Orley Farm. But then, suddenly, he died. The will was read. To his chagrin, Joseph Mason Esq. discovers that the will has a codicil, in Lady Mason's handwriting, bequeathing Orley Farm to his infant son. Joseph Mason, Esquire, -- a base and greedy fellow -- insists that Orley Farm should rightfully be his -- and he sues. The Orley Farm Case is the result. With a delightful cast of characters, a complex plot, and a satisfying climax, Orley Farm is surely one of the best novels written by a Victorian.« less