"Barbara Buncle is in a bind. Times are harsh, and Barbara's bank account has seen better days. Maybe she could sell a novel ... if she knew any stories. Stumped for ideas, Barbara draws inspiration from her fellow residents of Silverstream, the little English village she knows inside and out. To her surprise, the novel is a smash. It's a good thing she wrote under a pseudonym, because the folks of Silverstream are in an uproar. But what really turns...

The former Miss Buncle and her husband's niece share problems of rationing in wartime England.

"Nothing will stop Tonia from finding a home of her own. Tonia has lived all her life in the quiet Scottish countryside and can't imagine herself anywhere else. But when her beloved older sister gets married and moves away, Tonia begins to wonder if there aren't bigger things on the horizon for her too. The advent of World War II brings Tonia briefly to the heart of London, where the roar of fighter planes echoes through the night and bombings are...

A stranger came to town and stole her heart. Sue Pringle has never met anyone like John Darnay before. A painter who roams the countryside with brush in hand, Darnay is so absorbed in his art that he can barely remember to feed himself-a stark contrast to the practical shopkeepers and shepherds of her tiny village. Working as his housekeeper allows Sue to observe the eccentric Darnay unnoticed as he goes about his work translating the beautiful Scottish...

"I like Mureth," declared Lady Shaw. "There's something about Mureth." "It does things to people," Mamie agreed. Lady Shaw considered this. It sounded silly, but was it really silly. People said that Mamie Johnstone was a fool, and it was true that sometimes she said things that sounded foolish... but the things she did were wise. Mamie Johnstone, sister of Caroline Dering, whom we met in Vittoria Cottage, and her husband Jock are popular figures...

Miss Clutterbuck would like me to run the bar-no, it can't be that-run the car, which has seen its best days but is still useful for shopping. Grace has told her I am patient and tactful, so (as she herself is neither the one nor the other) she thinks I am the right person to look after the social side. With husband Tim stationed in Egypt and her children at boarding-school, Hester Christie-affectionately known as "Mrs. Tim" and based loosely on D.E....

Author, Fed up with life in London, moves to the country and enjoys her many experiences there.

Young Englishman, the trustee of an estate, is surprised to find he is a girl's guardian.

Recently married to Charles, Sarah is furnishing a cottage in Scotland and starting on a life in sharp contrast to their wartime experiences.

Elfrida Ware returns to the country after a career as a small-part actress in London. Soon her peace is shattered by visitors from her former world.