Adele Ford’s clearest childhood memory is of her father telling her about the enigmatic Lydgate Widow, whose abandoned house dominates the village. But the stories end abruptly on the day Adele and her sister are orphaned, and they grow up with only each other to rely on. Intrigued by the antiques business, Adele finds work in a local shop. But when a wrongful accusation robs her of her reputation, the future looks bleak. So it’s not hard for Col Vincent, a successful businessman, to persuade Adele to become his wife. Adele grows to love him – until she realises that her husband is a violent man. In the 1930s, a woman who leaves her husband faces penury. Adele is faced with an impossible situation. Then some shocking news brings back the haunting memory of the Lydgate Widow and the man who has loved Adele for decades.
