This collection of stories by one of Britain s most beloved novelists depicts domestic life during World War II as seen through the eyes of both children and adults In The Red-haired Miss Daintreys, four six-foot-tall sisters capture the imagination of young Rebecca when she and her family are on holiday. Beautifully crafted and informed by Lehmann s eye for telling detail, it is a moving meditation on familial ties, romantic love, and the end of an era. In When the Waters Came and A Dream of Winter, both the deprivations of war and a swarm of bees take their toll on the inhabitants of a small English village afflicting one family in particular. Wonderful Holidays is the tale of a divorced woman who cares for two children while a wounded veteran of World War I longs for his absent wife. And the title story is an exploration of the unlikely friendship between two families one privileged, one poor and the tragedy that ensues when a band of gypsies sets up camp on the outskirts of town. These five stories will sweep readers into a world where grieving is a necessary part of the human condition and love can flourish in the most unexpected places. Morality, the class system, the grim realities of war, love and loss Lehmann s trademark themes are on vivid display in this remarkable collection."