Glittering Images by Howatch Part I

Glittering Images is the first of Howatch's novels about the Church of England. She had not written anything for a few years, during which time she became interested in religion and studied the history of the Church. This novel is set in 1937, just after the Abdication, which was caused by the desire of the King to marry a divorced woman. This issue provoked discussion of the place of the Church, and about divorce. Charles Ashworth is a clergyman in his 30s who has a post as a lecturer in Cambridge, and he's asked by his former patron to visit Bishop Jardine, in Starbridge, who is a controversial figure. Jardine comes from a modest background, and is generally thought to be very clever but his radical views have annoyed many other bishops. He criticised his archbishop for a lack of leadership on the divorce issue and he believes in making divorce easier. His domestic situation is unusual in that his wife, who is a rather silly disorganised woman, relies very much on a paid companion to help her with her duties as a Mrs Bishop. His marriage is childless and rumoured to be not too happy. The companion is very good looking and the Archbishop fears that there may be a perception that Jardine keeps her in the house because he finds her attractive. Charles wonders if he really wants to undertake this job of spying on a bishop, but he agrees to go. He lost his wife after a short marriage and he's not in a very happy frame of mind. He is successful in his clerical career, but his relationship with his family is not good. When he goes to Starbridge and meets the Jardines and Mrs Jardine's companion, he like Jardine, feels sorry for his rather foolish wife, and is smitten by Lyle Christie, the companion, a beautiful woman in her 30s.