Starlight On Willow Lake
#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs sweeps readers away to a sun-drenched summer on the shores of Willow Lake in a stunning tale of the delicate ties that bind a family together…and the secrets that tear them apart When caregiver Faith McCallum arrives at the enchanted lakeside estate of Avalon's renowned Bellamy family, she's intent on rebuilding her shattered life and giving her two daughters a chance at a better future. But she faces a formidable challenge in the form of her stubborn and difficult new employer, Alice Bellamy. While Faith proves a worthy match for her sharp-tongued client, she often finds herself at a loss for words in the presence of Mason Bellamy–Alice's charismatic son, who clearly longs to escape the family mansion and return to his fast-paced, exciting life in Manhattan…and his beautiful, jet-setting fiancée.The last place Mason wants to be is a remote town in the Catskills, far from his life in the city, and Faith McCallum is supposed to be the key to his escape. Hiring the gentle-hearted yet strong-willed caregiver as a live-in nurse gives his mother companionship and Mason the freedom to return to his no-attachments routine. For Faith, it means stability for her daughters and a much-needed new home. When Faith makes a chilling discovery about Alice's accident, Mason is forced to reconsider his desire to keep everyone, including his mother, at a distance. Now he finds himself wondering if the supercharged life he's created for himself is what he truly wants…and whether exploring his past might lead to a new life–and lasting love–on the tranquil shores of Willow Lake.
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#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs sweeps readers away to a sun-drenched summer on the shores of Willow Lake in a stunning tale of the delicate ties that bind a family togetherâ¦and the secrets that tear them apart
When caregiver Faith McCallum arrives at the enchanted lakeside estate of Avalonâs renowned Bellamy family, sheâs intent on rebuilding her shattered life and giving her two daughters a chance at a better future. But she faces a formidable challenge in the form of her stubborn and difficult new employer, Alice Bellamy. While Faith proves a worthy match for her sharp-tongued client, she often finds herself at a loss for words in the presence of Mason BellamyâAliceâs charismatic son, who clearly longs to escape the family mansion and return to his fast-paced, exciting life in Manhattanâ¦and his beautiful, jet-setting fiancée.
The last place Mason wants to be is a remote town in the Catskills, far from his life in the city, and Faith McCallum is supposed to be the key to his escape. Hiring the gentle-hearted yet strong-willed caregiver as a live-in nurse gives his mother companionship and Mason the freedom to return to his no-attachments routine. For Faith, it means stability for her daughters and a much-needed new home. When Faith makes a chilling discovery about Aliceâs accident, Mason is forced to reconsider his desire to keep everyone, including his mother, at a distance. Now he finds himself wondering if the supercharged life heâs created for himself is what he truly wantsâ¦and whether exploring his past might lead to a new lifeâand lasting loveâon the tranquil shores of Willow Lake.
Contemporary Romances
Home Before Dark
The Ocean Between Us Summer by the Sea Table for Five Lakeside Cottage Just Breathe The Goodbye Quilt
The Bella Vista Chronicles
The Apple Orchard
The Beekeeperâs Ball
The Lakeshore Chronicles
Summer at Willow Lake
The Winter Lodge Dockside Snowfall at Willow Lake Fireside Lakeshore Christmas The Summer Hideaway Marrying Daisy Bellamy Return to Willow Lake Candlelight Christmas
Historical Romances
The Lightkeeper
The Drifter The Mistress of Normandy The Maiden of Ireland
The Tudor Rose Trilogy
At the Kingâs Command
The Maidenâs Hand At the Queenâs Summons
Chicago Fire Trilogy
The Hostage
The Mistress The Firebrand
Calhoun Chronicles
The Charm School
The Horsemasterâs Daughter Halfway to Heaven Enchanted Afternoon A Summer Affair
For my parents, Nick and Lou Klist, my first and best readers. Your love, wisdom and courage are my inspiration.
Contents
âOf all things visible, the highest is the heaven of the fixed stars.â
âNicolaus Copernicus
Mason Bellamy stared up at the face of the mountain that had killed his father. The mountainâs name was innocent enoughâCloud Piercer. The rich afternoon light of the New Zealand winter cast a spell over the moment. Snow-clad slopes glowed with the impossible pink and amethyst of a rare jewel. The stunning backdrop of the Southern Alps created a panorama of craggy peaks, veined with granite and glacial ice, against a sky so clear it caused the eyes to smart.
The bony, white structure of a cell phone tower, its discs grabbing signals from outer space, rose from a nearby peak. The only other intrusions into the natural beauty were located at the top of the slopeâa black-and-yellow gate marked Experts Only and a round dial designating Avalanche Danger: Moderate.
He wondered if someone came all the way up here each day to move the needle on the dial. Maybe his father had wondered the same thing last year. Maybe it had been the last thought to go through his head before he was buried by two hundred thousand cubic meters of snow.
According to witnesses in the town near the base of the mountain, it had been a dry snow avalanche with a powder cloud that had been visible to any resident of Hillside Township who happened to look up. The incident report stated that there had been a delay before the noise came. Then everyone for miles around had heard the sonic boom.
The Maori in the region had legends about this mountain. The natives respected its threatening beauty as well as its lethal nature, their myths filled with cautionary tales of humans being swallowed to appease the gods. For generations, the lofty crag, with its year-round cloak of snow, had challenged the worldâs most adventurous skiers, and its gleaming north face had been Trevor Bellamyâs favorite run. It had also been his final run.
Trevorâs final wish, spelled out in his last will and testament, had brought Mason halfway around the world, and down into the Southern Hemisphereâs winter. At the moment he felt anything but cold. He unzipped his parka, having worked up a major sweat climbing to the peak. This run was accessible only to those willing to be helicoptered to a landing pad at three thousand meters, and then to climb another few hundred meters on all-terrain skis outfitted with nonslip skins. He removed his skis and peeled the Velcro-like skins from the underside, carefully stowing the gear in his backpack. Then he studied the mountainâs face again and felt a sweet rush of adrenaline.
