For the whole of Rose's respectable married life, she had kept faith with both men. To Ned she was a perfect wife and mother of his son. To Mylo, Rose was an unconventional mistress, answering his erratic calls. After Ned's funeral Rose looks back on a life of dual constancy, passion, humour, and th[...]
Flora Trevelyan is a ten-year-old misfit, despised by her selfish and indolent parents, and left to wander the streets of a small French town whilst her parents prepare to depart for life in colonial India. There she befriends the locals, acquires an extensive vocabulary of French foul language.[...]
Set in August, 1939, this story moves from Cornwall to London and back again, over the years, telling the stories of five cousins who have gathered at their aunt's house for their annual ritual of a holiday. It presents a picture of wartime London: the rationing, the fallen houses, the parties, the [...]
Matilda Poliport, recently widowed and largely estranged from her four adult children, has decided to End It All. She has cleaned her cottage, given away her beloved pet goose and burnt any incriminating letters. Now all that remains for her to do is eat her picnic, take her pills and swim out into [...]
Poppy Carew has just been dumped by her unscrupulous boyfriend, Edmund, when her beloved and eccentric father dies, leaving Poppy one last request - that she ensure he is buried in style by a 'fun' undertaker - and one large fortune.[...]
Hebe listens in the darkness of the hall to a family conference. The stern hypocrisy of her grandfather is winning the day. He has summoned her three horsey sisters' successful husbands and they are discussing Hebe's unexpected pregnancy. The decision, unanimous, is that it be terminated. Hebe, diss[...]
Henry Tillotson, a generous, genial man who inherited his father's philanthropic attitude along with his beautiful house, rescues Margaret from a disastrous marriage in Egypt and brings her home to the West Country as his new wife.[...]
Laura Thornby is independent, individual and perfectly in control of her life. Her affairs are brief but delightful, her career fulfilling and she copes with her two rather peculiar relatives and the gossip about her parentage with wryness and humour. But then she meets twenty-three-year old Claude,[...]
"I would give myself, darling, if it would do any good, but who am I? I love money and a good time, I'm enjoying the war, I find it exciting and frightening. I enjoy the raids, I like all the men taking me out.' Behind the large house, the fragrant camomile lawn stretches down to the Cornish cliffs.[...]