
audiobook
The story opens in the tranquil parish of Belhaven, perched on the banks of the River Don where lowland fields meet the rugged Highlands. There we meet Reverend Mackenzie, a handsome, thirty‑plus minister who tends his glebe like a farmer and greets each sunrise with a lilting Scotch song. His days flow in a gentle rhythm of sermons, roaming cattle and the occasional visit to his flock, all set against a landscape alive with buttercups, heather and the chatter of birds.
On a bright May morning an urgent summons interrupts his easy routine: an elderly elder of the kirk lies gravely ill, and Mackenzie must saddle his Shetland pony and ride out to offer comfort. The journey forces him to confront the responsibilities he has long taken for granted and to question the balance between his pastoral duties and his love of the land. As the narrative unfolds, the reader is drawn into a heartfelt meditation on faith, community and the quiet battles that shape a life.
Language
en
Duration
~6 hours (377K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
London: James Nisbet & Co., 1895.
Credits
Al Haines, Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2023-11-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1840–1910
A Scottish doctor, sailor, and storyteller, he turned his years at sea into fast-moving adventure tales for young readers. His books mix travel, danger, natural history, and the upbeat energy of late Victorian popular fiction.
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