Who’s footsteps can Clara hear outside her room at night? Why do freshly cut flowers wither and die when brought into the house. Possibly linked with the previous family who owned the property and one family member in particular, the troubled Veronique.

There are mysterious goings on at Shadowbrook which the staff are convinced are supernatural. Nobody is to venture near his rooms on the upper floor aside from housekeeper Mrs Bale but Clara has an inquisitive nature…. A chance to see more of the world, gain some independence and put her newly acquired skills into practice.Ĭlara arrives at Shadowbrook to meet the housekeeper, maids and gardener but is told Mr Fox is not at home and nobody really knows when he’ll return. When a mysterious letter arrives at Kew from a Mr Fox asking for help in installing his own plant filled glasshouse on his estate, Clara is the woman for the job. Clara strikes up a friendship with one of the employees there and begins to learn the skill of tending to the exotic plants and their needs. When Clara’s beloved mother dies, Clara begins to venture out into the world and starts to become a regular visitor of Kew Gardens, a place her mother used to often frequent. She’s feisty and occasionally rails against her parents, either becoming sullen or throwing wild fits of temper. But Clara feels isolated and claustrophobic and yearns to experience the outside world. Clara Waterfield is born with a disease which makes her bones very brittle along with various other medical problems.Ĭlara is cosseted by her mother and step father, who wrap her up in cotton wool, keep her inside the house and away from danger.

A little in love by susan fletcher