The lonely house

Lily Fairfield, a modest English girl who spent the Great War caring for Belgian refugees, boards a French railway carriage with a lingering nightmare of a dark tunnel and a looming black‑and‑white cat. The vivid dream fades as the train bursts into Mediterranean sunlight, revealing gardens of the Riviera and the cheerful faces of fellow passengers—a middle‑aged Frenchman named Hercules Popeau and the good‑natured Captain Angus Stuart. Lily’s recent loss of her beloved Aunt Emmeline and the sudden end of the war have left her yearning for a new beginning, and the journey promises a gentle but unfamiliar world far from the foggy streets of London.

Arriving at a coastal resort, Lily is welcomed by the warm hospitality of Countess Polda, a lively and generous woman linked to her family’s past. As she settles into this bright, seaside setting, she begins to navigate lingering grief, new friendships, and the lingering scent of adventure that the post‑war era offers. The story unfolds as Lily discovers whether this “fairyland of beauty” can truly mend a heart still bruised by loss.