The Guarded Flame (1906) : Kessinger Publishing : 9781165120482 : 1165120488 : 10 Sep 2010 : The Guarded Flame is a novel written by William Babington Maxwell and published in 1906. The story is set in the early 1900s and follows the lives of two families, the Duff Gordons and the Duffields, who are connected by a secret that has been guarded for generations. The novel explores themes of family, love, betrayal, and the consequences of keeping secrets.The Duff Gordons are a wealthy family who live in a grand estate in Scotland. They are led by the patriarch, Sir James Duff Gordon, who is determined to keep the family secret hidden at all costs. The Duffields are a less affluent family who live in a nearby village and are connected to the Duff Gordons through a complicated web of relationships.The novel begins with the arrival of a young woman named Isabel Duffield, who has been hired as a governess for the Duff Gordon children. Isabel is immediately drawn to the handsome and charming he