This story moved me like no other. Partially because I am adopted, partially because of the visceral emotions it pulled from me and partially because I love Lighthouses. Reading this was like living my dream.
Tom, having recently returned from fighting in a war, longs for quiet and solitude. He chooses to tend the light on Janus Rock, an isolated Island in Australia.
He soon falls in love with beautiful Isabel. They marry and she sets about making Janus Rock as homey as she can.
They long for children but Isabel suffers from several miscarriages. One night a wild storm kicks their little Island into a frenzy. As they survey the damage from that storm they happen upon a rowboat. Inside is a tiny baby and a deceased male.
Isabel declares they must keep that baby. Finding the child was a gift after her most recent miscarriage. Tom keeps meticulous records and is skeptical that they can indeed pull this off. Against his better judgment he decides to allow Isabel to keep the child. They name their daughter Lucy.
One day Tom’s guilt finally consumes him and he tells a friend what they did. That choice and the choice to keep their baby come to a stunning end. Highly recommended.
– Carla
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