A Fugue in Time : A Virago Modern Classic

Ghosts past, present, and future haunt an old London house in this masterful work of fiction from a New York Times bestselling author.

'A genius for storytelling' Evening Standard

'One of our best and most original novelists' Philip Hensher

'Her craftsmanship is always sure . . . pure, delicate, and gently witty' New York Times

Grizel Dane, a bold young servicewoman in the US army, arrives at the London home of her great-uncle Sir Rollo Dane, seeking refuge from the chaos of wartime. Through the old man, Grizel learns the surprising history of the Dane family and Lark Ingoldsby.

Orphaned by a train crash, Lark was taken in by the Danes as an adoptive daughter but soon found herself caught in a web of sibling rivalry, love and attrition. Selina Dane, racked with jealousy, sets out to destroy Lark's dreams of love.

When Grizel falls for Pax Masterson, a wounded airman, Rollo urges her to seize her chance for happiness, as he was not able to. A century of a family's history remains alive and vibrant within these walls, the events that defined their lives unfolding over and over again. But that living history is not ending quite yet, for the war is bringing a stranger from America to Number 99 Wiltshire Place to leave her indelible mark on it.

A different kind of ghost story, Rumer Godden's poignant, stylistically brilliant A Fugue in Time is a story rich in wonder, imagination, and heart – a favourite for the many devoted fans of the bestselling author of Black Narcissus and In This House of Brede. A passionate story of romance and tragedy also inspired the classic film Enchantment starring David Niven and Teresa Wright.