In the mid-nineteenth century, on moorland farms, overlooking the border
village of Biddulph in North Staffordshire England; a young girl,
Rosalind Barker seeks to find the origin of the initials she discovered
up on the boughs of an Elm tree. Her inquisitive nature, with added
expectations of adventure, from the help of her brother John, leads her
to many mysterious findings to further enticement, conveyed within the
early part of the book. The tale then wends on to reveal the life of
these two young girls who carved that dedication, 'upon this tree.' So
from then on, two hundred years before, their story begins with a
childish mishap, which from then on is the seal for eternal love. Later,
approaching turbulent times; the English Civil war has a determined
travail for both of them, a misadventure, with good will intentions lead
on to recriminations and secrecy. All this is set within this turbulent
period, made worse by the pestilence of the plague that affected this
area of Biddulph in North Staffordshire, causing indiscriminate
decimation to so many. What is the mysterious secret and findings that
lead Rosalind relentlessly to pursue the story of those children two
hundred years before? All along feeling a connection to that other world
of mystery, sorrow, and most of all love between two young girls, that
will forever remain in her heart, from the first findings of those
initials explained in this intriguing tale, 'Upon this tree.' A final
note; verses, often poetic, are occasionally used to enhance and entice
the reader to venture further with expectation and intrigue.
