D.E. Stevenson is one of those classic authors that you just love to cozy up one of her books. Set in Scotland in the early twentieth century, Celia Dunne knows it is time for decisions to be made. She is feeling every single one of her ninety years and has loved her time at her home Dunnian. Land ownership, ancestry, and heritage are all important to Celia and she is determined a Dunne will be at Dunnian. Knowing her current state of affairs will not do, she calls to her great nephew Humphrey to come home. She knows he will be a better caretaker of Dunnian than her nephew who has development plans ever will. She tells Humphey she is bequeathing Dunnian to his daughter Celia. Much to Humphrey's confusion as he does not have a daughter Celia. Elderly Celia in her wisdom assures him, he will.
The story then moves to Humphrey's family's time at Dunnian and indeed, there is a daughter, Celia. Humphrey's children take to the countryside gentry life. Duncan's retainers add charm and character to the story. Their lives intertwining with the family's that they serve. A charming story that rapidly develops. The children grow and mingle with the higher class neighbor children. And they soon learn that the simple luxuries afforded in childhood friendships do not transition into adulthood as easily. A delightful, gentle read. Well recommended!
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for kindly allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.