The Cinder Path

In the English countryside of the early 20th century, the working-class protagonist must deal with a cruel and tyrannical father and later with a romantic tangle and a problematic marriage.

Later, he is taken into the British Army fighting on the Western Front of the First World War, where the shadows of his past pursue him and lead to a climax.

Among MacFell's main targets is Ginger Slater, a workhouse boy who he whips for stealing a book to try and learn to read.

He inherits the farm and, in order to prevent his mother evicting the Bentons in revenge for MacFell's infidelity, takes over managing it himself.

Slater, the only other witness to MacFell's death, uses the knowledge to put pressure on Charlie and Arthur and ultimately blackmails Polly into marrying him.

When conscription begins, the now twenty-four-year-old Charlie decides against declaring himself exempt and finds himself at a training camp with Slater as his sergeant, who takes delight in humiliating him in revenge for his father's actions.

On learning Nellie has tried to commit suicide because he ignored her, Charlie realises he loves her and makes plans to, in time, divorce Victoria and marry her.

When his old enemy taunts him for 'buying' a commission with his wife's whoredom, Charlie shoots him dead in a rage, but since Slater's rifle was moving towards him at the time, it is later ruled self-defence.

Slater's family are told he died bravely in battle and Charlie is commended for getting the rest of the men back safely.

Charlie rushes home to find Betty has sold the farm's furniture and livestock and fled with the money, with the paper he signed in hospital giving her authorisation.

The adaptation starred Lloyd Owen as Charlie, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Victoria, Maria Miles as Nellie and Polly Adams as the girls' mother Florence.