Charles Todd

The Walnut Tree Charles Todd

Lady Elspeth Douglas, an aristocratic young Englishwoman is in Paris visiting her future sister-in-law when Belgium falls and the Germans invade France. Trying to make her way back to the safety of England, Elspeth becomes trapped in Calais. The port city overflows with stranded travelers, refugees, and wounded soldiers. An aristocrat whose distinguished family can trace its roots back to the Spanish Armada, Elspeth makes herself useful distributing water to soldiersan act of charity that puts her life in danger. Caught in a German bombardment, she is rescued by rugged Captain Peter Gilcrist, who gets her away from the shelling and puts her on a ship sailing home. Back in London, the pampered young woman is haunted by the horrors she witnessed in France. Ignoring her guardians vehement objections, Elspeth leaves her comfortable, sheltered life behind and moves to London to do her partand to find the man she cannot forget.