Sanctuary

Kate Orme stands on the brink of a rare, all‑consuming joy as she prepares for her wedding to Denis Peyton. The novel opens with her savoring the quiet harmony of an early September afternoon—cool rooms, blooming hydrangeas, a lake glimmering in the distance—and feeling that her happiness is both sudden and inexplicably complete. As she watches Denis approach along the path from the estate, she realizes that even the simplest smile cannot fully convey the depth of her contentment.

Denis, a young man accustomed to polite society and the comforts of an inherited fortune, meets Kate with a steady, reassuring presence. Their families, especially the elegant yet detached Mrs. Peyton, add layers of expectation and subtle tension to the couple’s budding life together. The story gently explores how this fragile, blissful moment may be tested by the unspoken complexities that lie just beyond the garden walls.