Regiment of Women

At an elite girls’ school in Edwardian England, brilliant schoolmistress Clare Hartill exerts a magnetic hold over pupils and colleagues alike—especially Alwynne Durand, a spirited nineteen‑year‑old new teacher whose admiration soon becomes an all‑consuming bond. As Clare’s influence shapes lessons, loyalties, and ambitions, the school’s polished surface strains under jealousies and unspoken desires. When boundaries blur and devotion turns exacting, Alwynne must navigate a choice between the life Clare offers and the claims of family and self. First published in 1917, Clemence Dane’s debut is a gripping study of charisma, power, and queer‑coded attachment in women’s institutions—an essential touchstone in the early history of sapphic literature.