Deland Island

About the Book

Gifford (Giff) Kensell, leading figure of this novel, is the sole offspring of two dramatically contrasting parents, both of whom struggle intensely for his affection. His mother, Willa, comes from  strict New England stock; she is the daughter of Sea Captain, Hab Deland, who has created a massive fortune by his own endeavor, and built an imposing mansion on rock-strewn Deland Island, off the coast of Maine.  Giff’s father is a Texan, who by Hab’s invitation took over the Deland family’s business, and by the time of his untimely death had transformed it from a moderate family-run business into a huge US titan, to which Giff is heir, and is expected to continue the tradition.

 The opening chapter finds Giff in the midst of WW11, embarked on a routine Air Force transport mission.  His C-47 crashes in a remote unknown section of New Guinea inhabited by natives who have never had contact with civilization.  He is isolated and cut off from rescue and seems doomed to spend the rest of his life marooned in what appears to be an extinct volcanic crater cut off from the world.  He suffers immensely, becomes partially integrated into his surroundings, and adapts well, though homesick and desperate..  Eventually he is rescued.  

On return to the US Giff is hospitalized and placed under Psychiatric care for peculiar lapses of memory, and inexplicable fits of rage.  In time he is rehabilitated., and appears to have recovered.  Secretly he struggles with doubts about his sanity, particularly why he has lapses of memory..

Giff returns to what’s left of his family on Deland Island.  His father is dead and Shippton Industries, the Deland family corporation, is under the caretaker management of a friend.  His mother, who, herself, is recovering from a brief catatonic reaction over her son’s apparent disappearance, hardly is functioning.  Jenny, his fiancee, orphaned in her teens and now his mother’s protégé, greets him without much enthusiasm, much to his surprise and disappointment.  

Jenny, long engaged to Giff, has suddenly becomes distant and loathe to proceed with the marriage.  First, she has become disenchanted by two close years with Giff’s strong-willed mother, fearing for the future with her constantly in the picture.  In addition, she discovers that Giff and their mutual friend, Alise Barot, had an unexpected one-night affair during the week prior to his departure overseas while she was away at college.  It  was clearly an innocent mistake, she concedes, but unfortunately results in a child that Jenny cannot quite rid from her mind, despite her closeness to Alise during their childhood—Jenny, Giff, Alise, and Pete Roberdean were inseparable growing up, but have gone separate ways during the war.  Giff and Alise had gone for an innocent sail the week he was home in uniform, while she, Jenny, was away at college.  All very innocent, but they were caught by fog and had to anchor overnight; an innocent evening turned into more than expected and unbeknownst to Giff, Alise has his child while he is overseas in New Guinea.  

Jenny tries valiantly, but cannot reconcile their mistake, and decides to break up her engagement.  Actually, she fears her prospective mother-in-law more than she is bothered by the child, and this leads her to a career in Europe to escape.

Giff, distraught over Jenny’s decision to leave him, and feeling guilty and responsible for Alise’s plight, makes the old-fashioned decision to marry the woman he impregnated, even though he does not love her.  One of the bystanders hurt by all this is Pete Roberdean, who has been in love with Alise since childhood.  Pete is furious, abandons her, and is consumed by hatred of his former friend, Giff Kensell.  He swears revenge.

Eight years pass. Alise dies mysteriously from an

About the Author

WW11 pilot, Sailor, Surgeon, James Worcester has been transforming experiences into fiction over the past fifty years.