An early previously unpublished novel from one of Britain's best-loved storytellers World War II is raging across Europe, but the enclosed, sheltered community of the Convent of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary is untouched by world events. The nuns and girls go about their daily lives oblivious to the horrors of that dreadful conflict, their routine punctuated by prayers, meals and lessons. For Andrea, a young Protestant girl new to the Convent, the monotony and the plethora of rules and restrictions comes as a shock. Yet she is attracted by the mysteries of the Catholic faith, and she enjoys the company of her new friends, notably the strong-willed but popular Clare Bingley. In time, she will come to look upon her years at the Convent one of the happiest periods in her life, when deep and lasting friendships were formed, with much fun and laughter . . .