Little Lord Fauntleroy

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.`Lord Dorincourt had occasion to wear his grim smile many a time as the days passed by. Indeed, as his acquaintance with his grandson progressed, he wore the smile so often that there were moments when it almost lost its grimness`. When young Cedric Errol`s father dies, he becomes heir to the fortune of his English grandfather, the Earl of Dorincourt, and must move from working-class New York to England. Bad-tempered, cantankerous and bitter, the old man is slowly won over by the kind, generous and cheerful spirit of Cedric. When a plot arises to deprive Cedric of his inheritance and another pretender steps forward as heir, Cedric`s friends in America become involved in order to thwart the challenger. Through Cedric`s unconditional love and trust he teaches his grandfather to show compassion to those who are less fortunate than himself. Burnett`s book had a huge impact on 19th century society, influencing how young middle-class American boys dressed through her detailed descriptions of Cedric`s lordly clothing. The book even set new precedents in copyright law when Burnett won the rights to theatrical adaptations of the work.