Beyond Her MannerEmily Banting2025

Gillian Carmichael is grieving, not for the loss of her husband, but for what his death has cost her — Kingsford Manor, her beloved home. To make matters worse, she can observe the new 'Lady of the Manor' from her small abode in Kingsford Lodge, and observe her, she does.

Viola Berkley, an internationally renowned classical singer, retreats to the quiet of the countryside after her mother’s sudden death, seeking peace and anonymity. What she finds is an unwelcome adversary in her outspoken neighbour Gillian Carmichael, who is quick to critique Viola's lack of village sensibilities.

As their worlds collide, both women realise they have more in common than divides them, and the line between animosity and attraction begins to blur.

With Gillian shackled to her past, unable to let go of the life she lost, and Viola carrying the weight of her grief, can the pair find a path forward, or will the shadows of the past keep them apart?