The Woman Who Did (1895) is a novel written by Grant Allen. The story opens where the Cambridge-educated Herminia Barton, a clergyman's daughter, who relocates to London and begins a career as a teacher. She meets and falls in love with the lawyer Alan Merrick, and the two of them go to Italy together. However, Merrick passes away from typhoid before their daughter Dolores is born. Herminia cannot inherit any of Merrick's money due to legal quirks. Herminia raises her daughter as a single mother after moving back to England. Dolores, her daughter is ashamed of her mother's unmarried state. The story shows how a woman handles her tough situation. Read the complete novel to know what sacrifice Herminia made for her daughter.