Veronica Hay is an acclaimed beauty but her downward spiral begins the moment she enters into a loveless marriage that removes her from her home in Edinburgh to Berwickshire. From there, she begins a luckless affair with Sire Alexander Renton which helps her to forget her longing for the fashions and energy of Edinburgh.

Her husband seeks revenge, driving Veronica's story to a tragic end. Veronica's adultery causes a scandal, but it might be the making of her devoted friend and maidservant, Helen Cameron, who rises to become part of Edinburgh's New Town story all on her own.

A gripping Scottish saga based on true events, perfect for fans of Tessa Barclay and Dilly Court.

Elisabeth McNeill was a long-established freelance journalist and broadcaster who wrote five non-fiction books and 26 novels. She lived with a miniature dachshund in the oldest inhabited village on the Scottish borders, where she spent most of her school days.