Mrs. Georgie Sheldon (1843–1926)

Plain young girl is left an orphan in California when her father dies after committing to her care a priceless ruby that she must guard until it can be returned to its rightful owner. She goes to live with her uncle's family in New York, but is treated like a servant. Eventually she strikes out on her own. You can bet that twists of good and bad fortune are going to follow her wherever she goes, including the real story of the rubies, a romance with a young man she nursed back to health after a train accident, a surprising story from an old woman who was in the same train accident, some amazing free of charge dental work that makes her suddenly beautiful (along with a routine of self-imposed calisthenics), an unlikely secret marriage, a vengeful brother-in-law, some stupid misunderstandings, a room in a secret tunnel, etc., etc., etc.… (plus d'informations)

The Double Deception, indeed. How did I not guess? I'm dying to spoil it because it's Sooooo ridiculous!!!!! (But I guess I won't.)
A woman gives birth to a daughter one cold night in Boston and immediately puts her up for adoption. Years later, this girl is the privileged only child of a wealthy and affectionate couple who never want her to know that she doesn't biologically belong to them. Meanwhile, the girl rescues a street urchin one day from a group of bullies and takes him home. He, poor thing, is "an imbecile," meaning he can only speak gibberish, and seems addled in the head. The Huntress family takes an interest in him and adopts him, even agreeing to a risky operation that succeeds in restoring his mental and speech faculties.
So, guess what? Mrs. Georgie Sheldon has given us TWO YOUNG PEOPLE WITH MYSTERIOUS PARENTAGE. This is clearly her specialty.
The denouement is fascinatingly... insane. Someone will get brain fever. There will be dramatic reconciliations. There will be LOTS of FAINTING by LOTS of PEOPLE. There will be shocking revelations, a maniacal villainous doppelganger, and an attempt at a marriage that will (unwittingly) break all known laws of God and man.
But don't worry. Everything ends great and they go to Europe for a vacation.… (plus d'informations)

Gertrude is 16, an heiress, and... rather unattractive. She's ward to the Livingstones, who were friends of her father. When they get into financial trouble, the father proposes that his son, a 20-something doctor-in-training, should marry the 16-year-old heiress so they can use some of her money. Allan, the son, refuses, correctly seeing Gertrude as a schoolgirl friend, not yet and maybe never wife material. But when his father threatens to do away with himself, Allan feels he must give in.
He marries Gertrude, who is in love with him, but then she accidentally overhears his real opinion of her and is crushed. By previous arrangement, Allan goes to Paris to study medicine for a few years, leaving Gertrude to finish her education and grow up a little.
Because of her disappointment that her new husband doesn't love her, Gertrude develops... you guessed it, brain fever! By the time she recovers, she is beautiful. I'm not kidding. It made her thinner, and all her hair fell out so that new, beautiful, curly hair could grow back in. Brain fever is the best! Also she applies herself to her schooling and becomes super accomplished. By the time Allan is ready to come back, Gertrude is a different person. He's been getting an idea of this from his mother's letters, and is returning with the idea of falling in love with her.
Unfortunately, Gertrude gets swept out to sea in a boat right before he returns and is presumed dead. She uses this as an opportunity to relieve her husband of her "unwanted" presence, and goes as a nanny with a family to England.
That's the setup. Oh, and there is a deep dark family secret as per usual, but it's more of an afterthought than anything.… (plus d'informations)