G. A. Henty 
Curse of Carne’s Hold 
A Tale of Adventure

Accused of a foul crime, Ronald Mervyn flees Devonshire for South Africa with his reputation in tatters. Through a series of coincidences, he helps save a family from imminent disaster. Convinced of Mervyn’s innocence and inherent goodness, those he rescues begin to work tirelessly to clear Mervyn’s name. Will he ever escape the grip of the curse that has long bedeviled his family?