The dawn of a brilliant summer day at New Moon Farm. To all appearances, all is the same: the staid and quiet place it was upon Emily’s arrival four years ago. But Emily’s life is changing. As she prepares to take the entrance exam for high school, Emily is fraught with the insecurities of young adulthood. Her dream of being a writer suddenly seems more elusive. She knows she needs an education, but is beset by doubts. What if she simply isn’t any good? What use is high school to a girl who is destined to spend her life on a farm? And even if she passes the test, how will the family afford to send her to school? So the stakes are high. Not only must she pass the test, but she is determined to win the scholarship—the legacy of Queen Victoria’s visit—that will enable her to fulfill her dream of a higher education. And the pursuit of that scholarship puts her in direct competition with her dearest friends—Ilse, Teddy, and Perry. Ilse, consumed by the notion of her father’s impending marriage to her nemesis, Dr. Iris Campbell, is barely capable of thinking at all. Teddy, like Emily, knows that the scholarship is his only hope of a better life. And Perry mysteriously vanishes on the very morning of the exam. The three friends set off to Summerside filled with a sense of adventure, and more than a little trepidation. Their journey takes some unexpected twists and turns: a chance encounter with a handsome young wanderer, Jack Haszard, a clandestine, late-night escapade—and a passionate kiss.
