A must-read sweeping saga, full of intrigue, romance and page-turning drama . . . Marigold Bingham, though promised to Algie Stokes, the lock-keeper's son, reconsiders her dreams of marriage when she wrongly believes he has been two-timing her. With the sudden death of his father, as well as the loss of Marigold, Algie is consoled by Aurelia Sampson, the charming and beguiling wife of his employer, Benjamin. Yet Aurelia merely muddies the waters, adding to Algie's worries which weigh heavily on his shoulders as head of his increasingly troubled family. Marigold Bingham is unaware of Algie's spiralling burdens, yet she is in for a whole series of life-changing surprises. So too is Algie, the man she once called her own . . .