Working Wonders

Windows of Reinvention

When London window dresser Vicky Cavanaugh inherits a one-week sabbatical from her high-pressure role at Earl’s Court, she flees the city’s constant glare for the rugged peace of the Scottish Highlands. Tasked with helping to restore an ancient rose window in a remote monastery on the edge of Loch Laine, Vicky trades fabric swatches for weathered lead caming and artisan glass shards. Surrounded by echoing cloisters and mist-cloaked hills, she discovers that arranging stained glass panels demands the same intuition and artistry that made her a rising star in the world of retail design. With each delicate piece she fits into place, Vicky finds her own fractured confidence beginning to mend.

Threads of Light and Love

Amid the hush of early dawns spent mapping out colour transitions, Vicky encounters Brother Aidan, the monastery’s warm-hearted novice whose patience with ancient masonry rivals her own eye for beauty. As they work side by side, chasing sunbeams through kaleidoscopic fragments, a gentle camaraderie blossoms into unexpected attraction. When a sudden storm threatens to flood the crypt and wash away weeks of careful craftsmanship, Vicky must call upon her ingenuity—and her new community of craftsmen and monks—to save the project and protect the sanctuary from ruin. It is in this crucible of wind-whipped torches and candlelit vigils that she realizes the true power of collaborative creation.

Shards of Self-Discovery

By the expedition’s end, the rose window stands renewed, its luminous petals casting a tapestry of light across cold stone floors—and across Vicky’s own heart. The journey has taught her that beauty can emerge from brokenness, that the strength to rebuild often comes from the most unlikely sources, and that a single ray of hope can illuminate even the darkest corners of the soul. As she prepares to return to London, Vicky carries with her not only sketches and technical know-how but a transformed sense of purpose and a heart open to new beginnings.

Author’s Reflection

. Jenny Colgan is a bestselling Scottish novelist celebrated for her warm, evocative storytelling and her ability to weave romance, humour, and heartfelt emotion into unforgettable tales. With a background in illustration and a deep love for community-driven narratives, she brings to life characters who find courage, laughter, and love in the most unexpected of places.