Mhairi McLeod is an orphan – born out of wedlock on the magical Isle of Skye. And The Other Woman is the story of her remarkable life: of her quest for fortune and her heritage over forty turbulent years. It is a tale of how determination and compassion can conquer even the worst betrayal – betrayal by a parent.
Mhairi’s yearning for a slice of life takes her away from her beloved island to the wretched poverty of the Victorian industrial north, to an America which promises to fulfil so many dreams and to a London where her wishes are men’s command. She soon realizes her special talents, attracting with ease the love and lust of the rich and famous. In London salons the most powerful men in Europe jostle promises and presents to gain her favour.
But beneath the glamour, the high-life, the superficial splendour of her surroundings, Mhairi’s smiles hide a past overshadowed by illegitimacy and a love undermined by the rivalry of a woman whose blood ties bring both pain and pleasure.
The Other Woman is an unforgettable evocation of family torment and sensual passion, stretching from the 1880s to the horrors of the First World War. Powerfully romantic, it further confirms Eileen Townsend’s bestselling reputation as a wonderful storyteller.
