Princess Caraboo

An exotically dressed woman is found in the fields and brought to the Worrall household. Frixos, the Greek butler, immediately suspects she is a fraud. The discovery sparks curiosity and divides the local gentry about her true identity.

Mr Worrall sends her to the magistrate to be tried for vagrancy. Meanwhile Mrs Worrall agrees to take responsibility for her care. The legal peril is balanced by a sheltering act of charity that complicates later investigations.

Gutch, a local printer and newspaper reporter, becomes interested after the woman claims she is Princess Caraboo via mime. His curiosity grows as he senses an entertaining but potentially dangerous story. He becomes a key observer of the unfolding case.

Gutch questions the farm workers who found her and learns she possesses a book from the Magdalene Hospital in London. This detail deepens the mystery of her origin. The connection hints that she may be more than a mysterious impostor.

During a private inspection, the servants discover a tattoo on her thigh. They had believed that natives of the South Seas all bore such markings, which complicates the fraud theory. The tattoo becomes a tangible clue in the evolving debate about her identity.

Frixos tells Gutch that he now believes she might be a genuine princess rather than a clever impostor. He cites linguistic subtleties and cultural cues that resist easy explanation. Yet he remains cautious, acknowledging the possibility of deception.

Mr Worrall leverages Caraboo's presence to court investors for a spice trade venture. The plan hinges on a supposed role she would play back in her homeland. The maneuver shows how high society manipulates the situation for personal gain.

Gutch brings in Professor Wilkinson, a linguist, to evaluate Caraboo's language claims. Wilkinson initially dismisses her as a fraud but cannot completely rule out genuine origin. His cautious doubt keeps the case from resolving quickly.

The local society is captivated by Caraboo, filling gatherings with curiosity and speculation. She is invited to parties and soirees, drawing attention from all social ranks. The celebrity status intensifies the pressure on those around her.

Lady Apthorpe takes Caraboo to a ball held for the Prince Regent, where he is clearly intrigued by her presence. The royal attention elevates the stakes and fuels broader sensationalism. Caraboo's presence becomes a public spectacle.

Gutch uncovers that Caraboo is actually Mary Baker, a former servant of Mrs Peake. He confronts the contradiction between her exotic identity and her ordinary past. The revelation threatens to topple the whole facade.

Mrs Peake confronts Caraboo in a tense confrontation and confirms her real identity as Mary Baker. Caraboo is subsequently locked up, intensifying the case’s legal peril. The community debates whether she deserves punishment or mercy.

The magistrate and Mr Worrall push for harsh punishment, threatening capital consequences. Their eagerness reveals the darker motives behind the case and the social pressures to 'set an example.' The controversy polarizes the town and deepens Mary's peril.

Mrs Worrall provides Gutch with documents implicating her husband and the magistrate in a bank fraud. Gutch uses the evidence to strike a bargaining position: he will bury the story if Mary Baker is allowed to go to America. This exchange reveals the corrupt leverage woven into the case.

Gutch, now in love with Mary, departs with her for the United States. Their escape marks a hopeful, if morally ambiguous, resolution to the conflict. They embark on a new life away from the oppressive scrutiny of Regency England.