L. T. Meade epub Bashful Fifteen

L T Meade was the pseudonym of Elizabeth Thomasina Meade Smith (1844-1914), a prolific writer of stories for girls. She was born in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland, the daughter of Rev R T Meade, and later moved to London where she married Alfred Toulmin Smith in 1879. She began writing at 17 and produced over 300 books in her lifetime, primarily juvenile fiction, of which the most famous was A World of Girls (1886). Her output also included adult fiction in a variety of genres, some written with male co-authors, notably Robert Eustace with whom she created two female villains and the occult palmist and detective Diana Marburg. Meade was also the editor of popular girls' magazine Atalanta, and as a feminist was active in women's issues and a member of the Pioneer Club, one of London's most popular women's clubs in the late 19th century. Bashful Fifteen, first published in 1892, tells the story of Bridget O'Hara, sent by her doting Irish father to boarding school in England. Here, for the first time, she is subjected to rules, scholastic expectations, and people who fail to fall under her spell. Her childish artlessness (and careless display of wealth) cause disruption and jealousy amongst her fellow puils with unforeseen, and at times unfortunate, consequences.