The Horse Dealer's Daughter

D.H. Lawrence began writing the story “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter” in the winter of 1916, finishing a draft of it in January of the next year entitled “The Miracle.” He continued to tinker with the manuscript, revising it several times before finally retitling it and publishing it in The English Review in April 1922. It was later republished in Lawrence’s collection of short stories, England, My England. As the exact setting of “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter” is not identified, many scholars have agreed that it probably takes place in Lawrence’s hometown, Eastwood. Over the course of his career, Lawrence was well known for using the theme of the redemptive properties of love, especially within particularly bleak circumstances. Other significant themes include the consequences of patriarchy and misogyny towards women.

Mabel Pervin is an unmarried twenty-seven-year-old woman. Her father had made a living dealing horses. Unfortunately, his business started losing momentum shortly before he died; when he finally passes, Mabel and her brothers, Joe, Fred Henry, and Malcolm, find their family has been left deeply in debt. The siblings try to work together, but the debt is so severe that the family home, Oldmeadow, has to be put on the market.

The siblings and the horses must leave the premises. As the horses are being forcibly vacated, Fred Henry tells Mabel that she should probably move in with another one of the siblings, Lucy. Contrarily, Joe advises Mabel to go in a different direction, that of seeking employment in the servant industry. Mabel is distressed, but becomes more and more despondent as the brothers continue to discuss their hopeful futures, while she is left almost without options. Mabel grows more distant, and loses all interest in the conversation.

Mabel starts clearing the dining table, and just then Dr. Jack Ferguson arrives. She tells him that under no circumstances is she going to impose herself on Lucy. Fred Henry tells him that he will meet up with Jack later at the local pub.

Horse-dealing, while never really a particularly profitable business, there was always enough food on the table, and the family never went without shelter. Mabel’s life among her brothers was also always one that lacked refinement, but at least there was safety and security. Now, after a lapse into poverty, Mabel has become convinced at just how much she was actually suffering. The role she played in the family was rather demeaning and pointless, and the change in lifestyle has illuminated that for her. While at the graveyard laying some flowers on her mother’s grave, Mabel makes eye contact with Jack Ferguson as he made his rounds.

Later on, Jack has finished his rounds and is walking home when he passes by Oldmeadow. Mabel is outside, headed in the direction of the pond. She stares into the distance as she enters the water, which is freezing cold at this time of the year. Jack quickly runs to pull her out, suspicious of her motives. Jack carries Mabel back to the house, takes off all of her soaking clothing and wraps her in blankets from in front of the fire. He tries to get warmth back into her blood however he can.

Mabel wakes from unconsciousness and discovers what happened. She questions Jack incessantly about his reasons for saving her. Jack had been recovering from a cold of his old, and wants nothing more than to go find some warm clothes for himself. He can’t find a reasonable point in the conversation to take his leave, however. Mabel realises she has been undressed, and that it must have been Jack was disrobed her. She asks Jack if he is in love with her.

Mabel reaches out to put her arms around Jack, but there is a problem. Jack doesn’t, in fact, love Mabel. He never has, but Mabel continues to push the point that he does love her, and soon Jack feel that he must love her. She is right, he decides. He tells her that yes, he does love her. They kiss, and it is with a deep passion.

Finally, Mabel rushes upstairs to find Jack some dry clothes. She returns to him wearing her fanciest dress. Mabel insists that she is a terrible match for Jack, and he could never love her. He quiets her by insisting that not only does he want to love her, he does love her, and also wants to marry her. He even suggests the date for the proposal. Tomorrow.