National Network for Equitable Library Service

sabella walked right into my first scene in Singapore. I hadn't worked out much about her when I started, but she showed me clearly what she was like. Singapore in the 1860s is exotic and yet terrifying for a penniless Englishwoman, alone and vulnerable after her mother's death. Too pretty to obtain a governess's job, Isabella accepts an offer from a Chinese merchant, Mr Lee, to teach him English and live with his family. Two years later Bram Deagan arrives in Singapore, determined to make his fortune as a trader. Mr Lee sees a way to expand his business connections to Australia and persuades Isabella to marry Bram. They set up a bazaar in Fremantle, much bigger than the shop Bram had originally planned.He has help from other people, but the ideas are his and Isabella's. But the past casts a long shadow, and Bram and his wife face unexpected dangers. Will they find a way to achieve their dream of a successful trading business? And can they find happiness and love with each other?