O Douglas was born Anna Buchan in Pathhead, Scotland, the younger sister of John Buchan and I understand that most if not all her novels are set in her native Scotland. Pink Sugar takes place in the fictional Scottish locations of Muirburn, Priorsford, and the delicious sounding house of Little Phantasy. O Douglas books are of a domestic type, vintage escapism, where nice things largely happen to nice people in nice places – and virtually nothing of the reality of the outside world is allowed in. However, do not let the title fool you, although an unashamed feel good read, this is not as syrupy and sweet as the title may lead you to think.

Our heroine is Kirsty Gilmour a young woman of thirty (though she fears she is now dreadfully old) returned at last to her beloved Scotland after years abroad with her manipulative step-mother. Kirsty had hated the endless round of society that hotel life abroad had brought her, a life her step-mother had revelled in. Now returning to the Scottish Borders of her birth, she is free for the first time in her life, with a good income to live on, and no one to tell her what to do. Kirsty is determined to ‘live for others’ her good and charitable personality making her long to bring happiness to others – or at least release them from trouble or unhappiness. Her attitude to life is the Pink Sugar of the title – an attitude so called by her landlord – the apparently grumpy Colonel Home.

“Surely we want every crumb of pink sugar that we can get in this world. I do hate people who sneer at sentiment. What is sentiment after all? It’s only a word, for all that is decent and kind and loving in these warped little lives of ours.”

Kirsty is perfectly genuine and nothing like as irritating that truly good people can sometimes be. Kirsty runs her new home with the help of Nellie and Miss Wotherspoon a housemaid who insists on being called ‘Miss.’

In time we meet Kirsty’s neighbours, a society which includes two vicars; one rich with a wife given to hosting elaborate garden parties, the other poor, living with his sister Rebecca; whose narrow, disappointing life has left a mark of bitterness. Lady novelist, Merren Strang is a delightfully independent woman, who befriends Kirsty. The society is made up of far more women than men, and so it is the women who drive the society. Naturally, there are a couple of terrifying society types – and as the local habit seems to be for calling regularly on one another in time for tea, we soon get to know them all.

Kirsty has taken the house of Little Phantasy – in the grounds of Colonel Archie Home’s estate. The Colonel is only recently returned himself, carrying an injury from the First World War, he lives a largely reclusive life – to the irritation of some of the local society ladies. Kirsty invites an elderly aunt to come and live with her. Aunt Fanny is a comfortable, traditional old lady, quite happy to sit by the fire knitting, she very much enjoys the companionship of her niece.

As the novel opens Kirsty is chatting happily to her older, married friend Blanche – who herself is about to set off abroad with her husband. Blanche tells Kirsty about the sad fate of her niece and two young nephews following her sister’s tragic death in India. The children’s father – prostrated by grief have left the children with a relative in Clapham, though the Scottish born children would much prefer to be home in Scotland. Kirsty rashly says that she would love to have them stay for a few months while their father gets himself together. Soon it is all arranged – and Kirsty excitedly prepares the house for their arrival. The children’s father pays a flying visit to check Kirsty and her house out – and Aunt Fanny prepares to have her peace shattered.

“Then the door burst open and a tall young woman got out, hurriedly followed by a tall girl with two long plaits of shining hair, and a boy struggling with a fishing rod and basket and other impedimenta of the sportsman.
‘Come on, Bill’ she heard the tall young woman say, and she saw standing, half in and half out of the carriage, a small figure in a blue jersey and short blue trousers. It was a very small figure, but there was something oddly commanding about it.”

On the appointed day, Kirsty waits nervously at the station, terrified that they won’t turn up, but they do, Barbara (10) and boys Specky who loves nothing more than to fish, and Bad Bill (5). Kirsty is instantly smitten, as the children are with her. Miss Stella Carter; the children’s governess accompanies the children, and Carty becomes another very happy resident of Little Phantasy, destined to find romance – with a little help from Kirsty.

The children are a delight, and soon Kirsty can’t imagine the house without them. While not all her attempts at doing good yield the results she would like – or indeed the appreciation of the receiver, Kirsty is very happy in her Scottish Borders home, and starts to dread the day that their father will return to take the children away. Kirsty’s relationship with the children is quite adorable, the energetic trio managing even to get under Archie Home’s skin too.

There’s a particularly nice moment when Kirsty meets, and chats to an older unmarried woman, and the two talk quite happily about how an unmarried woman can be both happy and useful, enjoying a perfectly fulfilled life. O Douglas may well have believed that, but her novels are I suspect far more conventional than that – with everything and (nearly) everyone tidied up at the end.

O Douglas shows us an enviable world of old fashioned manners, great kindness, romance and friendship, though one where illness, poverty, grief and disappointment lies just beneath the surface. I really rather loved this book, and I am determined – when I am buying books again – to get myself a couple more by this author. ( )

A charming tale of a young woman - Kirsty Gilmour - who comes home to Scotland after many years of trailing to Europe's best watering holes behind her flighty and shallow stepmother. ( )