| CHAP. | PAGE | |
| I | Early Days in Alresford | 11 |
| II | Lyme Regis and Tragedy’s Shadow | 23 |
| III | Reading and School Days at Chelsea | 35 |
| IV | Schooldays and Miss Rowden’s Influence | 48 |
| V | Reading | 66 |
| VI | Bertram House | 80 |
| VII | The Trip to Northumberland | 92 |
| VIII | Literature as a Serious and Purposeful Occupation | 112 |
| IX | The First Book | 124 |
| X | A Year of Anxiety | 140 |
| XI | Literary Criticism and an Unprecedented Compliment | 157 |
| XII | Dwindling Fortunes and a Gleam of Success | 172 |
| XIII | Literary Friends and Last Days at Bertram House | 184 |
| XIV | The Cottage at Three Mile Cross | 198 |
| XV | A Busy Woman | 209 |
| XVI | “God Grant me to Deserve Success” | 221 |
| XVII | Our Village is Published | 234 |
| XVIII | Macready and Rienzi | 246 |
| XIX | A Slave of the Lamp | 259 |
| XX | Macready’s Reservation and Lord Lytton’s Praise | 274 |
| XXI | A Great Sorrow | 287 |
| XXII | “The Workhouse—A Far Preferable Destiny” | 299 |
| XXIII | My Oldest and Kindest Friend | 313 |
| XXIV | Various Friendships | 327 |
| XXV | The State Pension | 339 |
| XXVI | Death of Dr. Mitford | 353 |
| XXVII | Love for Children and Last Days at Three Mile Cross | 367 |
| XXVIII | Swallowfield and the End | 379 |