The Little Foxes

Regina Giddens is the protagonist of The Little Foxes. She is an attractive woman in her forties, who longs to move to Chicago. When her father died, she was not listed as an heir to the family money since she was a woman. Since then, she has done all she can to create wealth for herself within the constraints of a society that limits women. She is a cutthroat businesswoman, and is just as capable of making deals as her brothers. However, her ambition, which is arguably one of her greatest strengths, ends up being her downfall.

She marries Horace with the intention of turning him into a businessman like her brothers, but when her plan fails, she must resort to other means. Horace, who threatens to ruin the deal she’s made for the cotton mill and to change his will, is the greatest obstacle to Regina’s goal of living in Chicago. She shows her true colors when Horace has a heart attack and she allows him to suffer and die on the staircase. The possibility of wealth ultimately overpowers any feelings she has for her husband.

Her family, too, is cut off from her life after she blackmails them.