Catherine Sergeant is so devoted to her work as a fine art appraiser in a British auction house that, after two weeks, she's still uncertain whether her husband Robert has actually left her. She continues going to work as if nothing has happened, and is only forced to face the truth after she meets handsome architect John Brigham while appraising an antique dresser at his countryside estate. While touring the home, Catherine recognizes a small object that John quickly tries to hide in his pocket. She's sure she saw a miniature painting by the Victorian artist Richard Dadd, whom she's always admired. Catherine returns to John's home to find out more about the painting and discovers that John has been collecting beautiful art to counter his own feelings of emptiness since his wife's death.
As John and Catherine become lovers, his tenderness begins to erase the pain of Robert's abandonment, and he helps Catherine discover how to live. To show the change he sees in her, John romantically compares Catherine to the girl reflected in the green glass mirror of a Richard Dadd painting, a reflection distinctly different from the woman staring into the glass. Catherine has written a book on Dadd, and enjoys John's knowledge about this obscure painter. Catherine finally becomes suspicious when she meets John's sister at an auction and realizes that he may be hiding secrets about his art collection. When his sister starts behaving strangely, and John is unexpectedly hospitalized, who can Catherine trust?
Ms. McGregor presents a carefully crafted novel populated by characters who are seeking meaning in their lives. Each character is defined by his or her relationship to art and the appreciation of beauty in life. To add some background and historical flair, vignettes from the life of Richard Dadd are interspersed throughout the novel, following the young genius as he paints from within an infamous mental institution. This beautiful and reflective story is pleasantly reminiscent of Tracy Chavalier's GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING, although McGregor weaves a contemporary love story within the history of a Victorian painting.
Catherine Sergeant is adept at going through the motions.
After losing her parents at an early age, she buried her
grief in the study of antiquities. Now, deserted by her
husband without warning or explanation, she reports to work
at Pearsonβs auction house, exchanging pleasantries with
colleagues, never revealing her pain. Cocooned in
loneliness, she couldnβt be more surprised to find herself
opening up to a total strangerβa new client, no less.
In widowed architect John Brigham, Catherine finds a kindred
spirit. The two share a fascination with Richard Dadd, an
early Victorian painter who lived most of his life
incarcerated in an insane asylum. There he produced his most
stunning worksβworks that have deeply moved Catherine and
now draw her inexorably
to John. Soon the two are falling in love.
The reawakening of passion in a woman like Catherine is more
than John ever hoped for. But when she discovers his
possession of an unknown Dadd, it is just the first in a
series of revelations that leave her wondering if she knows
this man who has shown her lifeβs true beauty. For John, it
may be a last chance to free himself from the priceless
secrets he has been harboring too long. Secrets about a soul
laid bare on canvas, and a legacy that could shatter all he
holds dear in the space of a heartbeatβ¦
A compelling blend of human drama, art, and history, this
intriguing tale casts a spell that lingers far beyond the
final pageβand celebrates the strength we all must find
within our hearts.
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