'The Pest' is a romance novel by W. Teignmouth Shore (1865–1932). It shows some interesting aspects of man-woman relationships with the help of magnetic characters. Excerpt: “When he had left the room, Marian sat down again by the fire, her face lit up by a smile of complete satisfaction. She was not trembling on the brink of revolt. When she had met him that foggy afternoon she had been so, but only because she felt helpless. Now succor had come. She felt certain that she could win Maddison to her will, that she would be able to use him as the stepping-stone to the luxury and power for which she lusted. He had almost loved her in the old days, he nearly loved her now after these two brief meetings; at any rate, he was sorry for her. She would tempt him and he would fall.”
