Cirrus@Austlit

'City girl Hannah Stockton writes histories as her day job and family histories in her spare time.

'Needing a temporary escape from a violent boyfriend, she takes up an advertised position as a live-in caretaker 'with light duties' at a country retreat outside Melbourne. The owner, Philip Boulton, is a hunky high-flying banker who visits on weekends to attend to his small herd of cattle.

'Hannah is dismayed to discover that Philip has been taught all he knows about farming by his next-door neighbour, who lusts after Philip and resents Hannah's presence. Hannah can't tell whether Philip is 'more than friends' with his guru.

'Philip has recently discovered a family secret. Given his profession, he's sensitive about this fact becoming public. Fearing Hannah's skills as a family history researcher, he keeps her at a distance while he processes his secret.

'Meanwhile, as her 'boss', he helps Hannah to overcome her fear of cattle and she learns to love country life ... and Philip.' (Publication summary)

l'English-born Margaret Flockton was Australia's first professional botanical illustrator. Had she been male, or born later than 1861, she may have been famous. But though she was well known in the artistic and scientific communities of the day, since her death in 1953 Margaret has been largely forgotten.

'Her life can best be understood in the context of her family of origin. Her parents and other close relatives were artists. Her maternal grandfather was Webster Flockton, a turpentine manufacturer and industrial chemist. His wife Maria was a granddaughter of army surgeon and physician Dr George Young who, in the 1760s on the Caribbean island of St Vincent, founded the first botanic gardens in the western hemisphere. Margaret's paternal grandfather was a city man (a Russia broker with a focus on money). Her paternal grandmother was the daughter of a graduate of Oxford University and ordained minister of the Church of England.

'Margaret combined her rich inheritance of artistic, scientific, quantitative, qualitative and academic genes to take up her career.

'This book, for the first time, tells the story of Margaret's life and achievements.' (Publication summary)