A woman's tale of stolen dreams must end happily in this unforgettable saga from the No. 1 bestselling author and national treasure Josephine Cox.

One winter's night, in the coalhole in her yard, Rosie finds a woman sheltering there who has been severely beaten by thugs.

At a glance, Kathleen looks like an unkempt, aged vagabond who tramps the roads carrying all her worldly possessions in a grubby tapestry bag. Her only friend is the mangy old dog who accompanies her; the sum of her life is in the diaries she zealously guards. Yet close up, Rosie can see that Kathleen has a gracious beauty - the look of a respectable lady of means.

In hospital, fighting for her life yet moved by Rosie's care and compassion, Kathleen entrusts the diaries, urging her to look at them. There, in the soft glow of the lamp, Rosie reads a heart-rending tale of stolen dreams, true love, heartache and loss. A tale that, somehow, must have a happy ending . . .