I found this book a really interesting read.It is set as usual in the Victorian period. Lady Vespasia Cumming-Gould attends a house Party with some friends, there is some gossip and some less than friendly emotions going round and when one of the guests - Isobel Alvie - makes a cruel remark to another, that will apparently lead to the suicide of the latter.

As Isobel is shunned and condemned by all except Vespasia the owner of the house as the idea of proposing an expiation journey for Isobel - to take the dead woman's last letter to her mother who leaves in the highland of Scotland - and if she is sucessful everyone will abide by a pact of silence of not speaking of it again nor condemning her socially.

I found the idea of the expiation of a crime very interesting and found myself wanting to know more about it. As Vespasia and Isobel start their journey to find Gwendolen's mother not only is the journey dangerous but is also an emotional dificult one as Isobel will have to tell her part in the tragic events. Vespasia is the character we get to know better, she is a sensible and kind woman (sometimes a bit too kind to be real) of her time who will gain a better knowledge of herself with this journey. And as the journey progresses not only is Isobel's behaviour analysed but they also start suspecting that more things may have been tormenting Guendolen.

If I have a complaint about this story is how short it was, a bigger story would have allowed for more analysis on the character's feelings and the burden of guilt that most of them seem to carry.

Grade: B+