The Ballad and the Source is a novel set in Edwardian England, telling the tale of an unlikely friendship between a young girl and an enigmatic older woman. Sibyl Jardine is the former best friend of Rebecca’s grandmother, who has recently returned to live in the neighbourhood. Seen through the spell-bound eyes of young Rebecca, we gradually learn the story of the complicated, passionate and stormy life of Mrs. Jardine.   The Ballad and the Source is a tale of perception and memory, passion and betrayal, and the fearsome power of a mother’s love. “An exciting adventure in fiction. Unconventional in structure, in characterisation and development of story . . . Unforgettable.” - New York Herald Tribune Rosamond Lehmann (1901 – 1990) was an English novelist and translator, with connections to the Bloomsbury set in London.   Published by Reprint Society in 1946. Books is in good condition with dust jacket and the binding is intact.