The Lady on My Left — Catherine Cookson

Alison Read, orphaned when she was two years old, had for some years lived and worked with Paul Aylmer, her appointed guardian. Paul, an experienced antique dealer whose business thrived in the south-coast town of Sealock, had come to rely on Alison, who had quickly learned the trade.

But when he asked her to value the contents of Beacon Ride, a chain of events was set off that led to the exposure of a secret he had managed to conceal. Now Alison's relationship with Paul for many years came under threat, and she realised that only by confronting the situation head-on would she restore the happiness she once had and achieve the ambitions she sought.