Lucy Banyon and her parents move to Cornwall. Things get off to a bad start for Lucy until she finds an injured fox cub, which she names Red Fur.
In 1840, the Shaw children are orphaned and Rose, the eldest, is left in charge. They move into a cave in the roots of a tree they call the Guardian Tree because it seems to watch over them, protect them and give them advice and comfort in their fight for survival. They also have to keep their tree home secret from Matthew Crowe, the Parish beadle who means to put the younger children in the workhouse.
Other Appearances:
In Victorian times, Harriet Bond discovers she is living on borrowed time with an incurable illness. She devotes her remaining time to finding good homes for her brothers and sisters. To make them want to leave her, she pretends to turn hard hearted and unloving.
Shona Baker’s parents have separated and she has to spend four days with each of them in turn. The bitterness between the parents is causing problems and heartache for Shona.
Marion Trent lived happily with her grandmother, until she overheard a conversation between two doctors that her Gran only had 3 months to live. Marion vowed to make money anyway she could, even at the risk of being called mean, in order to take her Gran to London for the holiday the old lady always wanted.
Loretta Davies was terribly upset when her best friend suddenly collapsed and died. Loretta vowed she would never laugh or smile again.
Sally Hunt is taken into Elmbank Children’s Home after the death of the couple who adopted her as a baby and welfare removing her from an abusive stepmother. At the home she discovers that a helper named Bella Rees is her natural mother. Sally decides to keep this secret because she wants Bella to like her for herself first. But problems keep getting in the way.
Lorna Milford has lived in a children’s home ever since she can remember. Then the Whytes and the Blakes arrive, each claiming she is their daughter. Lorna becomes caught in a tug of love between them.
