Collected Works of Essie Summers Series by Essie Summers

Roberta O’More grew up wandering the world with her artist father and her mother, who was estranged from Roberta’s grandfather. Only for one glorious month, when she was twelve, had she and her cousin George unexpectedly visited her grandfather’s home of Heatherleigh, on New Zealand’s South Island, a grand estate that had been in the family for generations... moreRoberta O’More grew up wandering the world with her artist father and her mother, who was estranged from Roberta’s grandfather. Only for one glorious month, when she was twelve, had she and her cousin George unexpectedly visited her grandfather’s home of Heatherleigh, on New Zealand’s South Island, a grand estate that had been in the family for generations. Now twenty-five, having lost both parents, she was going back to Heatherleigh, back to the place that had always represented for her the stability and security she had never known with her footloose and fancy-free father and mother. To her delight, she found that George had come back as well. But Muir Buchanan, the shepherd who had baby-sat the young Roberta and George all those years ago, had won her grandfather’s confidence, and was well on the way to winning Roberta’s heart . . . until she overheard a conversation between Muir and her grandfather that revealed the truth: Muir was courting her solely because she was her grandfather’s only living descendant and therefore his heir, and Muir wanted Heatherleigh for his own! less

Penny had not been lucky in love. Her engagement had ended in disillusionment. As if that weren’t enough, what she had thought was a budding romance between herself and the charming and handsome Charles, had turned out on his side to be nothing but a way to pass an idle week, as he considered that she was a Penny Plain, not pretty enough for anything more than a few days’ casual amusement... morePenny had not been lucky in love. Her engagement had ended in disillusionment. As if that weren’t enough, what she had thought was a budding romance between herself and the charming and handsome Charles, had turned out on his side to be nothing but a way to pass an idle week, as he considered that she was a Penny Plain, not pretty enough for anything more than a few days’ casual amusement. So she decided to make a complete new start, taking a position as governess to four children on a remote sheep station far back in the Southern Alps. There she found peace and healing and a place as a beloved member of the family — until, to her horror, the duplicitous Charles himself turned up, settled in permanently, and shattered her dearly purchased peace of mind! Could she bear to stay, even with the family and mountains she had grown to love, so long as it meant enduring the company of a man who despised her? less

Fiona Macdonald’s first impression of Edward Campbell was unfortunate, but his first impression of her was downright catastrophic. When circumstances forced them into isolation together on a remote New Zealand sheep station, with no company other than Edward’s three orphaned wards and his former governess, the old hostility between the Campbells and the Macdonalds seemed to be rekindled. How unfortunate, then, that Fiona found arising within herself a feeling quite the opposite of hostility . moreFiona Macdonald’s first impression of Edward Campbell was unfortunate, but his first impression of her was downright catastrophic. When circumstances forced them into isolation together on a remote New Zealand sheep station, with no company other than Edward’s three orphaned wards and his former governess, the old hostility between the Campbells and the Macdonalds seemed to be rekindled. How unfortunate, then, that Fiona found arising within herself a feeling quite the opposite of hostility . . . less

Marilla St John had simply told the truth when the television interviewer asked for her views on marriage — but she was completely unprepared for the flood of unwelcome attention that followed. In desperation, she decided to retreat for a year to a remote station deep in the Southern Alps, there to serve as a governess, having taken the precaution, when applying by mail, of doing so under her never-used first name of Eleanor lest she be expected of romantically ulterior motives... moreMarilla St John had simply told the truth when the television interviewer asked for her views on marriage — but she was completely unprepared for the flood of unwelcome attention that followed. In desperation, she decided to retreat for a year to a remote station deep in the Southern Alps, there to serve as a governess, having taken the precaution, when applying by mail, of doing so under her never-used first name of Eleanor lest she be expected of romantically ulterior motives. But upon her arrival, she found the children alone with only their uncle Rufus Sinclair, whom Marilla disliked on sight, and who, thinking her merely a feckless tourist, disliked her just as intensely. Even worse, she discovered that he was certain his sister hoped he would fall in love with the new governess, who he thought was in on the whole scheme, and that he intended to turn this ‘husband-hunting Eleanor’ down for the job without even an interview! Marilla, grateful beyond words that Rufus did not realise that Marilla ‘Sinjin’ and Eleanor St John were one and the same, decided she would be off with the dawn.But Fate had other plans for her . . . less

Dinah Pritchard had come all the way from Wales to Dunedin for the sake of love, though she and her Russell were sensibly giving themselves a six-month trial before officially becoming man and fiancée. But somehow Russell back home in New Zealand wasn’t quite the same man as Russell abroad in Wales had been... moreDinah Pritchard had come all the way from Wales to Dunedin for the sake of love, though she and her Russell were sensibly giving themselves a six-month trial before officially becoming man and fiancée. But somehow Russell back home in New Zealand wasn’t quite the same man as Russell abroad in Wales had been. Meanwhile Dinah’s new employer, despite the fact that at her job interview he had infuriated her beyond endurance, turned out on deeper acquaintance to be a fine man, a good boss, and a loyal friend. Indeed, having concluded that Russell was taking Dinah for granted, Anthony Bryn-Morgan even offered to join in a charade of courting Dinah for himself, as a way of bringing Russell to his senses. How frustrating it was, for Dinah, when she began to realise that she was falling in love with a man whose affection for her would never be more than brotherly kindness!(This book was originally published as The Smoke and the Fire.) less

They had both been desperate, though in different ways. Simon’s sister had been facing a months-long stay in hospital, and with her husband in England for months on business, there was no one but Simon to take in the three children — but he was an engineer on the Haast Highway project, with 130 kilometres of unsealed road and the entire spine of the Southern Alps between the ‘No Outlet’ sign near Wanaka and Simon’s road-building camp in the West Coast wilderness... moreThey had both been desperate, though in different ways. Simon’s sister had been facing a months-long stay in hospital, and with her husband in England for months on business, there was no one but Simon to take in the three children — but he was an engineer on the Haast Highway project, with 130 kilometres of unsealed road and the entire spine of the Southern Alps between the ‘No Outlet’ sign near Wanaka and Simon’s road-building camp in the West Coast wilderness. For her part, Kirsty had been, quite simply, in shock, fleeing Australia in the wake of an out-of-the-blue phone call from her fiancé’s wife, who had arrived in desperate haste from Yorkshire to save Kirsty from unwitting bigamy on the very morning of the wedding. Now Kirsty knew that Simon, not Gilbert, was the man she was meant to spend the rest of her life with. But how would he react when he learned that she had lied to him from the very beginning — that she was not a widow, but instead was the notorious Runaway Bride? less

That London day was one shock after another for Margot Chesterton. First, she learned from a letter left by her late uncle that, far from her father’s having abandoned his wife and infant daughter, he had never even known his wife was pregnant, due to the malice and dishonesty of Margot’s deceased aunt... moreThat London day was one shock after another for Margot Chesterton. First, she learned from a letter left by her late uncle that, far from her father’s having abandoned his wife and infant daughter, he had never even known his wife was pregnant, due to the malice and dishonesty of Margot’s deceased aunt. Nothing was known of her father save that his name was Francis Nightingale, that he had remarried in Canada, and that twenty years ago he had gone briefly to Akaroa, in New Zealand’s South Island, to search for relatives. Second, she discovered that the evening’s talk on antiques had been replaced at the last minute by a presentation on Akaroa itself, by a Pierre Laveroux, one of its lifelong residents. And third, she saw her fiancé’s meeting with the girl he had once loved — and whom he, very obviously, still loved.A few weeks and one broken engagement later, Margot found herself in Akaroa, taking a job with a lovely family whose house she was to transform into a living museum, all the while secretly searching for any clue as to her father’s whereabouts — secretly, because for all she knew it would bring nothing but pain to her father if she were to make herself known. But then Pierre Laveroux showed up, hostile and forbidding, for he had learned her true purpose, he knew where Francis Nightingale lived . . . and he was determined to keep her from ever learning her father’s whereabouts! less

Julia’s brother was being stubborn.It was obvious that she should keep house for recently-bereaved Noel, but he was quite tiresomely insisting that she had spent far too much time caring for her family members and far too little thinking about her own life... moreJulia’s brother was being stubborn.It was obvious that she should keep house for recently-bereaved Noel, but he was quite tiresomely insisting that she had spent far too much time caring for her family members and far too little thinking about her own life. Refusing to take her back with him from Wellington to his farm, was he? Well, she would see about that! She would simply stow away in the back seat of his car, under that ever-so-convenient rug she could see through the window, and when they arrived, she would pop out and present him with a fait accompli.It was just too bad she was accidentally stowing away in the wrong car. And even worse, when she was finally discovered — all the way across Cook Strait and over the mountains to an isolated homestead on the coast of Port Underwood — she was discovered not only by the owner of the car, but at the same time by his fiancée, who, having shown up unexpectedly, simply refused to believe that Adam Dare was not trying to cover up an affair. Now Julia’s innocent mistake bid fair to ruin the happiness of two lives! And on top of that, before she could be taken back to Picton, landslips took out the road and left her trapped on this isolated bay . . . this astonishingly lovely, isolated bay . . . with this delightful family . . . who actually needed her help . . . and maybe, just maybe, if she worked hard enough at her matchmaking while she was here, she could get Adam and Miriam back together again and undo all the damage she had caused! It was the least she could do; it was the right thing to do . . .Even though she herself had fallen hopelessly in love with the bay, and the family, and most of all with Adam himself! less

Charlotte de Lacey Smith was worried about her cousin Phyllis. Phyl's letter had spoken of some sort of terrible trouble, some looming decision Phyl could not discuss with her husband Owen, and which could not be spoken of in detail in the letter... moreCharlotte de Lacey Smith was worried about her cousin Phyllis. Phyl's letter had spoken of some sort of terrible trouble, some looming decision Phyl could not discuss with her husband Owen, and which could not be spoken of in detail in the letter. She had closed by urging Charlotte to come visit so that they could talk through the situation together; and Charlotte had written her back, signing her letter as ‘Lacey’, since that was Phyl’s pet name for her, and telling her they would straighten it all when she arrived.Now Charlotte had come from England and reached her brother John’s home on the South Island, where she had been met with the news that an advertisement had mysteriously appeared in the papers seeking a housekeeper to watch the children at Phyl’s isolated home station ― but the advertisement had been placed by Phyl’s brother-in-law, not her husband, and no one in Phyl’s family had been contacted or knew anything about what was going on. Worst of all, there was a letter waiting for Charlotte, addressed to ‘Miss Lacey Ward’, from this brother-in-law Edmund ― and when she opened it, it was to learn that Phyl had disappeared after leaving a ‘callous’ note, that her husband had rushed off in pursuit and been seriously injured in a car accident, that Phyl had not been heard from since, and that as Edmund believed ‘Lacey’ had known Phyl was cheating on his brother, she was on no account to come to the homestead!Very well, then, ‘Lacey Ward’, cousin to Phyllis, would not pay Edmund and the children a visit. But Charlotte Smith, aspiring governess, damned well would! For Charlotte was sure of two the children needed her ― and Phyl would never willingly have abandoned her family! less