The Unjust Steward; or, The Minister's Debt

In a quiet Scottish town, the Buchanan children—Elsie, fourteen, and her younger brother Rodie—share a cramped, book‑filled turret that adjoins their father’s study. Though the twins differ in temperament—she is diligent, he excels at Latin—their close bond makes them inseparable companions in school and at home. Their father, the respected Rev. George Buchanan, is a pillar of the community, and the family’s modest yet respectable life seems steady.

One afternoon, the siblings’ routine is shattered by a sudden, frantic entrance from their mother, her breath quick and her steps hurried. The urgent tone hints at a crisis that threatens the family’s stability, pulling the twins into a world of adult concerns far beyond their usual studies. As they listen from their hidden perch, the children must confront the hidden debts and responsibilities that could upend the life they have always known.