Mr Scarborough is an ill, elderly man with a dilemma. Father of two sons, his eldest son and heir Mountjoy is a debt-ridden gambling addict and wastrel. His younger son Augustus is a lawyer and by far the more responsible of the pair - but can he be trusted? Old Mr Scarborough must find a way to override the law and ensure the future safety and prosperity of Tretton Park, the family estate. With echoes of 'King Lear' Mr Scarborough pits his sons against each other as he tries to decide who his true heir should be. This entertaining story following the fortunes of this dysfunctional family was one of Anthony Trollope's later novels, published after his death in 1882.