The Richleighs of Tantamount is a British children’s book written by British historical book author Barbara Willard . It was originally published in Willard’s native homeland in 1966 by the publishers, Constable , before being published in the US by Harcourt, Brace & World on July 1, 1967. C. Walter Hodges drew the line illustrations and painted the cover portrait for the original edition.

Synopsis

The book tells the story of four young siblings—Edwin, Angeline, Sebastian and Maud—who live together in a London mansion in a Victorian-era society, along with their wealthy parents. These four children have been longing all their lives for their maiden visit to a place which for ages none of their kind has visited: a castle on England’s Cornish coast, built by their great-great-great-grandfather, called Tantamount. From time to time, the children question of its mysterious past whenever they look at the gigantic painting of the castle that dominates a wall in the drawing room.

Their lives are changed one fateful, unforgettable July when their recovering father announces of their first-time trip to the castle, first by train and then by carriage. Only when they arrive at the site do the four realize that it was built all in the name of vain and later neglect. Despite related risks, they, as family members, decide to stay. Because of this, a friendship with two local children emerges, from whom the foursome starts to learn of the secret that caused people to suffer before this monstrosity of a castle.

Characters

The Richleigh four

• Edwin Richleigh, 16: the eldest and most educated of the siblings, and heir to the family’s fortune.
• Angeline Richleigh, 14: rebellious but innocent in appearance.
• Sebastian Richleigh, 11: the big question-asker who always remembers the answers better than his older brother.
• Maud Richleigh, 8: treated by everyone except older Angeline as the baby of the family; she is the prettiest among the four.

Their parents

• Major Sir Rautboy Richleigh (pronounced Raw-bee), England’s third richest man.
• Lady Daisy, his wife, heiress and earl’s daughter.

Inside the London house

• Mr. Gaunt, Edwin’s English tutor.
• Miss Venus, the governess; teacher of Angeline, Sebastian and Maud.
• Old Nurse and New Nurse, the caretakers responsible for the house’s upkeep. They both make their first appearances when the book begins.
• Lance, the pageboy, “ready to answer the door if need be”. He also appears at the start of the book.

Mentioned by the family

• Lady Augusta, Queen Victoria’s cousin, who lives across the square near which the Richleighs live.
• Uncle Charles, Sir Rautboy’s stern, serious, long-faced brother, whom the four children all dread.

Customs

• Wif, short for What would you do if—?, the Richleigh children’s favourite game.
• Toy Sunday, a toy-distribution spree occurring twice yearly; only one of them, the last Sunday in May, is mentioned in the book.
• Councils of Tantamount: Edwin holds meetings for three of them at various times during the siblings’ visit to the ruined castle.

Plot

At home in London

On a dull Saturday afternoon in April, the four Richleigh children are in the schoolroom of their luxurious home, playing a game of Wif?, while everyone else is enjoying their weekend activities. As Tantamount comes across their minds, they suspend their game and enter the drawing room, in which they come across a gigantic painting of the dreaded castle. In the painting, a light streams out in unspeakable terror from one of its windows. As much as they have wanted to visit Tantamount all their lives, all four can only but wonder—and imagine—what lies within its deep, mysterious realm. For that alone, they sense that a mystery has been hidden inside the castle for years, and that no one has remembered again where it is.

Toy Sunday

One morning in May, Maud, the youngest one, wakes up in shock to realize that it is the last Sunday of the month. It is Toy Sunday, an event all four Richleighs look forward to twice a year with dread. Their mother, Lady Daisy, and a few other women, through a society called Playthings for the Children of the Needy, organize it. During such sprees, a great collection of toys is made by these ladies to benefit poverty-stricken children in London’s slums.

Angeline, Sebastian and Maud cannot adhere to the misery lying around as such during breakfast. Even Maud cannot help swallowing her food, because, when she and her other fellow siblings enter the nursery, she can do nothing to save her greatest treasure of all—an old rocking horse named Pegasus, Peggy for short. Its fate is sealed upon the parents’ arrival (Sir Rautboy promised Maud a new horse a week ago), both insisting that the toy be given away. In return, Maud’s father will bring her by carriage to the family who will receive the antique.

As duty calls, the family soon head off for church, wherein the Richleigh couple are greatly respected. The family, as a whole, is what their congregation never does without.

Sir Rautboy’s illness

Some mornings later, Maud wakes up a liver sickness, and Lady Daisy, summoned by New Nurse, tells her that she cannot come along with her father. Meanwhile, the older brother, Edwin, and sister, Angeline, are wondering about Peggy’s fate and its new owners. Moments later, Lady Daisy offers Angeline an invitation via Lady Augusta to a children’s picnic luncheon in Richmond Park, while she attends a ball at the Lady’s home.

Suddenly, Sebastian rushes in and, with shock, announces that Sir Rautboy is ill. The Richleighs’ mom could have never made a better decision, for their father, upon giving Peggy to a new family at the poorest possible place, has been brought down in hours with an infection—a reminder of the malaria ailment he received while with an Indian regiment.

Throughout June, doctors and nurses come to Sir Rautboy’s aid. The four siblings worry about their father’s possible death—this could make Edwin the head of the family at too young an age. They even fear that Uncle Charles could make their lives a dull one afterwards.

Only one day, however, do they realize that the good news from Lance of their dad’s recovery is as cheerful as the weather itself. This, therefore, breaks up their uncertain sadness.

The announcement

North Grange, situated on the side of the Surrey hills in front of a broad forested valley, is where the Richleighs are spending their summer this year. The problems of Peggy being gone for good, and going to the park, as well as missing out visiting the family villa in Italy, are forgotten by all four in joy.

One Monday in July, Sir Rautboy tells his children that he will undergo a sea voyage until the end of September, on the request of his doctors; Lady Augusta has arranged the use of her late husband’s yacht for the trip. With conditions discussed and everything in place, he announces that, while he and his wife are away, his offspring will spend the time at Tantamount.

At this surprising news, Mamma jumps for joy and Angeline faints happily. However, Old Nurse cannot stand it, even though she helps the family with their luggage; Old Nurse is not going with them. By tomorrow, Tuesday, all should be ready and packed.

By then, the four siblings’ parents have left to embark on the sea voyage, and the children’s governess, tutor and Nurses remain in the country home. From hence, a wave of excitement is felt in those who are left, especially in the children.

The journey

With the exception of the Nurses, everyone else starts the journey to Cornwall in hired cabs—the siblings in one, governess and tutor in another. Halfway through, they spend the night in a hotel before continuing by train on day two.

By late afternoon, they arrive at a station close to the monstrosity that awaits them all, and continue hence on carriage as it grows dark. On either side of the road on the ride's last stage, worn-out warnings are noticed. Upon arriving, the four children come face to face with the ancestral building--not as a painting, but in real life.

Feelings change as the Richleighs enter the castle, while the rest of the party take care of unloading the luggage. Nothing could prepare the four children for what is to come during their stay...

(More plot details forthcoming)

• ISBN 0152667504 (hardcover, original 1967 US edition)