The Wings of the Dove (Penguin Classics)
The Wings of the Doveis a classic example of Henry James's  morality tales that play off the naiveté of an American  protagonist abroad. In early-20th-century London, Kate Croy and Merton  Densher are engaged in a passionate, clandestine love affair. Croy is  desperately in love with Densher, who has all the qualities of a  potentially excellent husband: he's handsome, witty, and idealistic--the one thing he lacks is money, which  ultimately renders him  unsuitable as a mate. By chance, Croy befriends a young American  heiress, Milly Theale. When Croy discovers that Theale suffers from a  mysterious and fatal malady, she hatches a plan that can give all three  characters something that they want--at a price. Croy and Densher plan  to accompany the young woman to Venice where Densher, according to  Croy's design, will seduce the ailing heiress. The two hope that Theale  will find love and happiness in her last days and--when she dies--will  leave her fortune to Densher, so that he and Croy can live happily ever  after. The scheme that at first develops as planned begins to founder  when Theale discovers the pair's true motives shortly before her death.  Densher struggles with unanticipated feelings of love for his new  paramour, and his guilt may obstruct his ability to avail himself of  Theale's gift. James deftly navigates the complexities and irony of  such moral treachery in this stirring novel.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.