The House Behind the Cedars

The House Behind the Cedars revolves around the fates of two siblings, John and Rena. As a girl, their mother, Molly Walden, is picked out by a wealthy white man in the town of Patesville on account of her unusual beauty (Molly is African American with light skin and stereotypically white features). This unnamed man takes Molly as his concubine, installs her in the titular house behind the cedars, and fathers John and Rena.

When John is fifteen, he sets out to become a lawyer and pass as white. With the help of Judge Straight, John secretly studies the law. When he is eighteen, he leaves for South Carolina where his parentage is unknown. Ten years later, he returns to Patesville having successfully integrated into the elite white society of Clarence, South Carolina where he owns a large estate and is a successful lawyer. He has come to bring Rena back with him.

After a year at boarding school, Rena makes her social debut in Clarence at a mock chivalric tournament. She catches the eye of George Tryon, a wealthy young lawyer and close friend of John. After a short courtship, George proposes, and Rena accepts.