"Silas Marner" by George Eliot.

George Eliot is the pseudonym that Mary Ann Evans uses when writing
novels. Therefore the pronoun "her" is used for George Eliot.

THE NOVEL'S PLOT.

Silas Marner is a weaver and a member of a small religious community
in Lantern Yard. One day, the church deacon falls ill and members take
turns waiting on him at night. When it is Silas' turn, the deacon
dies and William Dane (Silas' best friend) slips in and steals money
while Silas is lost in thought. William makes everyone believe Silas
is the thief. Silas is disfellowshipped and he moves to Raveloe. His
fiancee, Sarah, marries the false friend a month later.

Silas has lost faith in God and becomes a hermit in Raveloe. He weaves
on Sundays and hoards his money. One day, the local nobleman's second
son, Dunstan Cass, steals his 5 guineas. Silas becomes very miserable
indeed.

Squire Cass's wife is dead and he frequents beer parlours so his sons
(Godfrey and Dunstan) become wayward.Dunstan's evil influence makes
Godfrey to marry a low-class woman, Molly Farren. Molly has a child
for him. Godfrey later falls in love with Nancy Lammeter and bribes
Dunstan to keep his previous marriage secret.

One day, Molly decides to show up at Squire Cass's New Year party and
introduce herself (to punish him for abandoning her). Due to the cold
and her being a drug addict, she dies in the snow on the way, near
Silas' cottage, and her 2-year-old daughter crawls into the cottage.

Silas adopts the child , names her Eppie (after his late sister
Hephzibah) and starts going to church. Godfrey feels relieved at
Molly's death and marries Nancy without telling her about the child.
"There was no danger that his dead wife would be recognized...and as
for the registry of their marriage, that was a long way off, buried in
unturned pages" (chapter 13). The only other person in the know,
Dunstan, hasn't returned home after stealing Silas' money. However,
Godfrey and Nancy remain childless for many years, having only a
stillborn baby. Godfrey suggests to Nancy that they adopt Eppie from
Silas (without revealing she is his daughter) , but Nancy is against
ALL adoption.

Eppie grows up into a charming 18-year-old . She knows no father but
Silas and she serves to bring the former recluse into contact with his
neighbours.

Then, Dunstan's skeleton is seen at the bottom of a pond near Silas'
house. He has Silas' bag of money in one hand and Godfrey's whip in
the other. Godfrey is forced to reveal his past and he and Nancy go to
Silas to claim Eppie. However, Eppie refuses to leave Silas, the only
father she knows. Godfrey and Nancy return home dejected.

Silas and Eppie visit Lantern Yard, hoping that the truth of the
robbery allegation would have emerged, but the town has been razed to
the ground. They return to Raveloe, their permanent home henceforth.
Eppie marries Aaron Winthrop, an honest and diligent son of a
neighbour, and they live with Silas in complete happiness.