and quot;Beatrice and quot; was first published in 1890, and was H. Rider Haggard and 's 10th novel, out of 58 titles. Unlike so many of his other books, and quot;Beatrice and quot; is one that features almost no action scenes whatsoever; no lost races, no adventure, no battles, no supernatural elements. What it IS, is a beautifully written romance novel; indeed, is is one of Haggard and 's most emotional works. It tells the story of the ill-fated love affair between Beatrice Granger, an unmarried Welsh school teacher, and Geoffrey Bingham, an unhappily married barrister who lives in London. This all starts after Beatrice saves Geoffrey and 's life in a canoeing accident during a tremendous storm and (in the book and 's only true action set piece and ), and the two become interested in one another. Trouble awaits, in the form of Bingham and 's wife Honoria and (who and 's only interested in money and social climbing and ), Owen Davies and (one of the richest men in Wales, who is morbidly obsessed with marrying Beatrice and ), and Elizabeth and (Beatrice and 's older sister, who will do just about anything to marry Davies herself and ).