The Three Black Pennys: A Novel

In the cool October of a Pennsylvania valley, Howat Penny wanders beneath maple and oak, his mind drifting from the half‑owned Shadrach Furnace to the silent flight of geese overhead. The furnace glows behind a dark stack, a reminder of the family business he feels only faintly attached to, while his stomach growls after a day of hunting that left him empty‑handed. As twilight deepens, the landscape is painted with the amber glow of a nearby house, promising the warmth of a home‑cooked meal.

Peter Heydrick’s stone cottage offers a brief reprieve from the formal gatherings at Myrtle Forge, where business partners and a curious visitor linger over boundary disputes. Penny’s irritation with social niceties drives him toward the simple comforts of venison, partridge and the famed guinea pickle, yet the night’s stillness hints at restless thoughts beneath the surface. Listeners are drawn into the tension between duty, family legacy, and the yearning for something more untamed.