| Summary |
"This is a story of love, lust, blackmail, religious bigotry and old-fashioned skulduggery. In December 1900, Fr Denis O'Haran, Dean of Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral, became entangled in a bitter divorce dispute. Australian cricketer, Arthur Coningham, accused the priest of having an affair with his wife, Alice, and demanded £5000 compensation for the loss of his conjugal rights. The priest denied the affair and two court cases ensued, inflamed by sectarian tensions. Newspapers became enthralled by intrigue in the Catholic Church and the activities of a myriad of local characters, including the involvement of Evangelical Protestant, Rev. William Dill-Macky. A victory for O'Haran would be a victory for the Church, but after two trials, there was no winner - for the rest of his life, O'Haran would be tainted by the accusations of the Coninghams, who were financially ruined. Alice paid the greatest price - she lost the love of her husband and that of the charming priest. Indeed, what price a wife?"--Back cover. |
