Phoebe Beecham's father is the Dissenting minister of a large, wealthy London chapel. (Her mother, born Phoebe Tozer of Carlingford, was a character in an earlier Carlingford novel Salem Chapel.) Phoebe "Junior" is well educated, and has been raised to have the manners of a lady. When she goes on a long visit to her shop-keeper grandparents in Carlingford (also characters from Salem Chapel), she expects she must adjust to their lower station in life.
However Phoebe finds a social circle which combines Anglican gentry (Ursula May and her brother Reverend Reginald May, whose father is the Perpetual Curate of St Roque) with Dissenters (millionaire's son Clarence Copperhead and Non-Conformist minister Horace Northcote). These five young adults each have issues to deal with; and they find a new happiness in coming together. Two of the young men are in love with Phoebe, who ruminates whether marriage should be defined by love, or by an environment which would provide full scope for her abilities.
Meanwhile selfish Mr May, the Perpetual Curate, has been borrowing money by a series of promissory notes, and is tempted to save himself by committing forgery. The many characters and story lines in this novel are all interesting and propel the story to its dramatic conclusion.
Phoebe, Junior is the last of seven works set in the delightful country town of Carlingford.
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