Beryl Matthews

October 1943. Nancy Dalton, working at the RAF base at Scampton in Lincolnshire, has been holding vigil for the Lancaster bomber pilots whose missions seem endless. But her watchfulness has not prevented her own pilot brother from failing to return. In the midst of mourning him, fresh recruits arrive to continue the war effort, among them charismatic Canadian Steve Allard. The months ahead will be long and hard, with danger a constant companion, and...

Poplar, London, 1920. Fourteen-year-old Victoria Keats is horrified when her father demands that she go to work for wealthy Mr Preston - everyone knows why he takes young girls into his house. But her violent father, who's never let her forget she's not the son he wanted, won't listen to her concerns - and when she stands up for herself, he throws her out of their dingy little house in the slums. Intelligent, book-loving Vicki vows to make her father...

Gertrude Melrose is concerned for her brother, Edward, who seems intent on squandering his inheritance at the gaming tables. Her fears are justified when Edward's debts threaten to destroy the Melrose family's prosperity.

1941, London. Sirens warn of danger as German bomber planes approach the city. Ever cautious, Kathy and her mother head immediately for the nearest public air raid shelter but are separated in the desperate scramble to safety. When the building is destroyed in a direct hit, it is a miracle Kathy survives, and before the night is through, she will suffer further loss as her home is reduced to rubble. Finding herself alone amid the chaos and ruins,...

London, 1940. The war is raging across Europe and 23-year-old Grace is devastated by the loss of her husband, Brian, at Dunkirk after only a year of marriage. Her secretary job at a law firm keeps her mind from dwelling on her sorrow but when her boss, James, enlists in the air force Grace is left without work. Alongside her best friend, Helen, the two young women join the War Office in a move that will change their lives forever. As Grace throws...

1856. Christine Banner is alone after her father's death, penniless but armed with an iron will. Determined to put London behind her and find a place to call home, her search takes her to the New Forest where she stumbles upon Lord Frenshaw's estate. Her skill at handling some of the large and difficult war horses bred there, shines through and captures his attention. However, when his son Harry returns from the Crimea, battle-scarred and short-tempered,...

London, 1938. Hanna and Jack Foster had been sent to an orphanage when their parents were killed. Through the years Hanna refused to let them be separated. But when a couple chose to adopt Jack, Hanna decided it was time to let him go. However, it soon became clear that she had made a dreadful mistake.