Her cousin Julian had been Fiona's closest friend ever since her childhood. She was always glad of his kindness and understanding, and the refuge of his beautiful garden. Twelve years separated them in age but at eighteen, Fiona felt that Julian was still inclined to treat her as a child.
In contrast, Fiona's widowed father was cold and critical towards her. At times he seemed openly hostile and did not seem to notice that she was unhappy. He planned to transform his shy daughter into a hostess who could help him attain his ambition to become mayor of Elton. But when Fiona decided she was standing in the way of Julian's marriage, the only solution seemed to be to leave home and go away for a while.