On a trip to Scotland, Robin Lindsay, a 45-year-old Canadian widow, meets James Maclachlan, a Scottish widower.

James is haunted by his poor relationship with his wife, who died under mysterious circumstances nearly 10 years ago, leaving a daughter and infant son. The couple fell in love, but events emerging from the past and violent murder in the present complicate matters.

Jean Murray Munden is a 76-year-old widow who has been engaged in storytelling in one form or another since she was a child. She grew up in a small town, moved to the city at 16, and then trained as a nurse in a large city hospital after she finished high school. She practiced her profession for only a short time before marrying a widower with three lovely children. They had a son of their own, traveled extensively, and a happy marriage of nearly 49 years. She lives alone, maintaining close ties with her family, and writes at her leisure.