The Lark In The Meadow

First published in 1959 by Mills and Boon, the North American edition was published in 1961 by Harlequin, under the title 'Nurse Abroad'. This was the first novel Essie felt completely satisfied with, and it was justified, as it was the first time she had to make no revisions.

It has also been published under the title 'The Long Journey'.

The dedication reads... To Pauline Webster, my daughter's friend and mine. "God gave you hills to climb and strengh for climbing." Arthur Guiterman.

Set on the Challowsford Estate, in North Canterbury, near Cheviot, it is the story of Sarah Isbister and Grant Alexander.

This is the story of Sarah Isbister, a young nurse from England, and Grant Alexander, an Australian sheep farmer who found that he had, most unwillingly, to accept her as a partner in his estate. Sarah met Grant's unconcealed dislike and distrust with defiant independence and a stubborn resolve to prove to him that he was wrong about her. It was uphill work, but he was beginning to recognize her good qualities when a mischief-making woman came on to the scene, determined on nothing less than establishing herself for ever and driving Sarah out. Would she win? And would Sarah have to leave the sun-kissed, prosperous farm - and the man - that she had learned to love?

Sarah and her family were from the Orkneys, in Scotland, before coming to New Zealand, and Grant's grandmother had been an Orcadian, hence the many references to the Orkneys in the book. At one point, Grant tells Sarah that his grandmother had been a Flett before her marriage. This is a neat little reference to Essie's husband's heritage. He, of course, was a Flett, and his family were also originally from

Descriptions:
Grant is tall, broad-shouldered and muscular. He is dark-visaged, with a rugged face with hard lines; He has hazel eyes, dark skin and dark hair bleached at the ends.
Grant plays piano very well.
Sarah, age 24, is tall and slim with whipcord muscles, chiselled features, a full, tender mouth and a wide, clear brow. She has shining, rippled, red-gold hair, black brows and lashes and blue-green eyes. She has one dimple and tiny exquisite ears.

On of Sarah's first choices in reading material when she arrives is a book called "Mustering On Molesworth" by Bruce Stronach. Molesworth is the region referred to by Grant as the real outback of New Zealand and he makes Sarah's heart ache when he describes an ideal trip that he would take his wife on; exploring the Canterbury high country of Moleworth on horseback, camping by firelight at night. She wishes she were the one who would be with him on that trip through

Challowsford is located in the Cheviot country side. To get there go past Cheviot, turn right at the crossroads, turn right again and drive into the hills. At the top of the hill behind Challowsford you will get a glimpse of the Pacific and the seaward Kaikouras.

The homestead was in the old Colonial style, wooden-rough cast, painted white with Cotswold green sills and a tin roof, a long front veranda with dormer windows above.

Cast Of Characters:
-Sarah Isbister, a Scottish nurse, and Grant's partner
-Roderick ( Rory ) Rendall, Sarah's half-brother
-Pauline ( Paul ) Rendall, Sarah's half-sister
-Grant Alexander, sheep farmer and half-owner of Challowsford
-Mrs. Macfarlane ( Mrs. Mac, Macsie ), Grant's housekeeper
-Jock, Ben and Wiremu (Bill), men who worked on the estate -Nan and Gordon Granger, neighbours
-Josephine; Grant and Sarah ( twins, whom Grant and Sarah helped bring into the world ) Granger, Nan and Gordon's children
-Angus Stewart, a neighbouring farmer. He was a dour, old Scotsman, but Pauline twisted him around her little finger
-Coombes, Bodkin, and Greyfriars. The lawyers who handled Grant and Sarah's affairs
-Hori ( George ) and Lanky. Sheep shearers
-Jeff Phillipson, an neighbouring farmer
-Mr. and Mrs. Phillipson, Jeff's parents. They highly approved of Sarah
-An unnamed former Prime Minister of the National party, who resigned due to ill-health
-Elaine Thomason, an aquaintance of Sarah's from England
-Ruth Devonley, Sarah's former matron from England
-John Eastwood, Ruth's long-lost love
-Nurse Sandra Collins, Sister Morgan and Nurse Petersen. Colleques of Sarah's at the hospital
-Garry Winslow, an adventurous little four year old
-Mr. and Mrs. Winslow, Garry's parents
-Sally, a friend of Pauline
-Lady Lemmamore. She had owed a great debt to Sarah

Important Characters ( now deceased )
-Roderick Rendall, Sarahs stepfather, a Presbyterian minister
-Duncan Alexander, Grant's uncle
-Marion, Duncans wife

There are several animals mentioned in the book: Rory's black and white sheep dog and his pony, Darky. Pauline has a golden spaniel, Jed, and Russetty, a chestnut pony.
Mrs. Mac has a big golden cat named Puffin and Grant's horse is a roan named Mandy.

Although they do not make a personal appearance, Sarah and Grant play a key role in "Not By Appointment".

There are quite a few references to the Tyneside / Northumberland area of England. Grant's mother was from there and he reminences about some of her expressions and special foods she pepared. In one part of the book, when he comes upon Sarah braving the elements during a rain and wind storm, he calls her

Bird of the wilderness,
Blithesome and cumberless,
Sweet be thy matin o'er moorland and lea!
Emblem of happiness,
Blest is thy dwelling-place,
Oh to abide in the desert with thee! - James Hogg

'So much good in the worst of us'...

'There is so much good in the worst of us,
So much bad in the best of us,
That it scarcely behooves any of us
To talk about the rest of us.'
S.Jorth