Following the 'The Clearwater Diamond' Sally Breach revisits the village of Frincham, and whilst some of her much loved characters make a welcome reappearance, she introduces us to a host of new characters too. Chiefly among them is Flynn, the Irish Landlord at the White Hart. Flynn is a 'confirmed bachelor', though in truth merely the victim of doomed love who had so far not found a candidate to come even close to that misty eyed girl of his youth.

Meeting a pitiful abuse victim soon throws him into a whirlwind of confusion as to why he feels such a strong urge to protect her. And then one awful night he finally realises why...

Abused, broken, so many long years later, here she was... a tattered and broken shell of the shining girl she'd once been.

And the only thing remotely similar to the girl he knew was the gulping sound she made when she cried.

He allowed her to sink her head onto his chest and sob, and felt himself falling helplessly, all over again.

'Beth, it's me... Paddy...' his heart whispered.

But his mouth stayed silent.

And for her to be safe, silent it would have to stay.