Charlotte Bingham
Emmaline has always understood from her mother that as the eldest of four daughters she must marry, but it seems that no proposals are going to come her way.
Until, at a crowded ball, Julius makes his way to her side and waltzes her off. The next morning he makes it plain that he wants to marry her, and will marry her no matter what. So it is that Emmaline finds herself on the way to England from America to be with her husband-to-be, her hopes as high as they have ever been.
What greets her when she arrives, however, is a strange house, full of odd guests and eccentric servants. It is a far cry from the glorious place that Julius had described to her. Indeed, as the days go by, her fiancé seems to change beyond recognition and Emmaline becomes more and more unhappy.She cannot see any future to their relationship. But that is before Julius’s past, and the history of his house,make themselves plain to her.
An original and fascinating page turner from a supreme storyteller.
Rated: ****
The Author
Charlotte Bingham
Charlotte Bingham comes from a literary family - her father sold a story to H. G. Wells when he was only seventeen - and Charlotte wrote her autobiography, Coronet Among the Weeds at the age of nineteen. Since then, she has written comedy and drama series, films and plays for both England and America with her husband, the actor and playwright Terence Brady.
Her published novels include the highly acclaimed bestsellers Summertime, The Season, The Love Knot, The Kissing Garden, Love Song, To Hear a Nightingale, The Business, In Sunshine or Shadow, Stardust, Nanny, Change of Heart, Debutantes, The Nightingale Sings, Grand Affair, The Chestnut Tree, The Wind Off the Sea, The Moon at Midnight, Daughters of Eden, The House of Flowers, The Magic Hour, Friday's Girl, In Distant Fields, The White Marriage, Goodnight Sweetheart, The Land of Summer and The Daisy Club.