A contemporary tale of love and tragedy set against the backdrop of
Argyll's dramatic forest scenery, much of the story takes place in
and around Ardcairn Estate owned by an imperious American heiress
Miss Lacelaw. Weaving like a constant thread throughout the story
is an old Douglas Fir - the 'Family Tree' - that unites the
characters in life, love, death and new life. Neil, the self-made
son of a forest worker, is locked into a self-destructive
relationship with Morag, a local lass. One wild night Neil's collie
dog discovers Sophie - a pre-University student on an expedition -
lying unconscious by the Douglas Fir. Neil saves her life but
through the interference of Miss Lacelaw, they lose touch with one
another. Later, when Neil finds a ring that Sophie lost at the
Family Tree, he traces it back to Dorothy, Sophie's aristocratic
grandmother. Dorothy helps Neil find Sophie, who is studying at St
Andrews, but the two of them are fated not to meet properly. One
evening they find themselves unexpectedly reunited at a ceilidh in
Oban. During the reeling Sophie loses her ring again but Neil
retrieves it and slips it onto her finger. Seeing Neil's
unmistakable love for Sophie, Morag makes a dramatic exit in a
drunken rage. Romance blossoms between Neil and Sophie and they
spend an idyllic summer at a cottage on Ardcairn belonging to Ann,
Neil's psychic godmother who is Miss Lacelaw's housekeeper. After
some memorable adventures Neil and Sophie marry, with a ceremony
held at The Family Tree. Pregnant by now, on the night that a
massive storm hits Argyll, Sophie's waters break prematurely.
Rushing back from Edinburgh to be by her side, Neil is tragically
killed in a motorbike accident at the same time that Dorothy dies
watching a rugby match. When Sophie regains consciousness she
discovers that she has lost the two people she most loved in the
world... and gained a daughter. The novel opens and closes with the
arrival at Ardcairn of a married couple - David and Eleanor - who
are buying the Estate from Miss Lacelaw. This sets the scene for
the arrival of Ann, who realises that there is an uncanny
connection between Eleanor and Sophie. Although Eleanor is in truth
Sophie's daughter, Sophie had kept this fact secret all her life.
It is now left to Ann to tell Eleanor the story of her connection
to Sophie, Ardcairn and The Family Tree. Following a momentous
evening of revelation and a night of passion the new owners of
Ardcairn pay homage to that survivor of the great storm The Family
Tree, that now belongs to them. Is this an act of closure, or
perhaps a new beginning? Might Eleanor even now be pregnant, and
will The Family Tree see a connection to a third generation?
General
Imprint: |
Grosvenor House Publishing Ltd
|
Country of origin: |
United Kingdom |
Release date: |
April 2023 |
Authors: |
James Ogilvie
|
Cover artist: |
Kathryn Callaghan
|
Dimensions: |
198 x 129 x 17mm (L x W x T) |
Pages: |
288 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-80381-291-5 |
Categories: |
Books
|
LSN: |
1-80381-291-5 |
Barcode: |
9781803812915 |
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