When Ellen Carr abandons grey, dreary London to become housekeeper at an experimental school in Austria, she finds her destiny. Swept into an idyllic world of mountains, music, eccentric teachers and wayward children, Ellen brings order and joy to all around her. But its the handsome, mysterious gardener, Marek, who intrigues her Marek, who has a dangerous secret. As Hitlers troops spread across Europe, Ellen has promises to keep, even if they mean she must sacrifice her future happiness… An unforgettable love story from the award-winning author of Journey to the River Sea and The Star of Kazan .