Thistle and Rose

Anna Forrest welcomes the prospect of leaving her quiet London schoolroom for Waverley, where Aunt Sarah and Uncle John live at the Rectory. Nearly fifteen, she imagines green fields, flowers and companions her own age while her father prepares to spend two years in America. Her governess, Miss Milverton, sends her away with a more searching lesson: to recognise and value the best qualities in other people, even when those qualities are difficult to see.

Amy Walton gives this story for young readers a focus on family ties, friendship and duty. In nearby Dornton, Anna hears Mrs Hunt recall her late mother and finds herself thinking about a grandfather who still feels like a stranger. Delia, who knows him through his kindness and music teaching, offers another view of his character. Their conversation brings loneliness and jealousy into the same small circle of relationships. The book offers readers a close look at how affection can grow through listening, shared memories and a willingness to look beyond first impressions.