This story is about a young women named Molly Macneil and her young son Alan. They live in a town called Broughton which is located in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Broughton is a small town where most of its male inhabitants work at the colliery. Molly is a very lonely women who has been taking on the role of a single mother for the last four years because her husband has been away. Her husband, Archie Macneil, is in the United States following his boxing career. Molly also feels she has to keep this a secret from Alan because she wants him to grow up to be a doctor not a boxer. She will only tell Alan that her father has gone to make money for them and will return when he is finished. She also tells him that his father is a very strong man. Molly has two other men in her life. One is Daniel Ainslie, the town doctor, and Louis Camire, a Frenchman who has just moved to Broughton. Dr Ainslie is a married man who is simply her companion. He is more interested in Alan and his future. But Louis loves Molly ans she has feelings for him even though she denies them. Throughout the book Molly tries her best to make a good life for her and Alan, even though they are both very lonely. Molly misses her husband and Alan misses his father. The two main characters in this book are Molly Macneil and Daniel Ainslie. Molly Macneil is a young women in her early twenties. She is very lonely because she longs for her husband. She is also very troubled. She is fighting feelings for another man and is trying to keep Archie’s occupation from Alan so he will not follow in his footsteps. Molly has a strong character and is very intelligent. Whenever Alan has a question she can always answer it whether she makes it up or tells the truth. Molly is also determined to make a success out of her son. Most of all Molly is a caring and warm person. She loves her son and is loved by everyone in the town. Daniel Ainslie is the town doctor. He is a very successfu...
