A quietly moving Victorian romance from the author of John Halifax, Gentleman. In a Scottish household near St Andrews, a reserved young governess and her pupils' tutor are drawn together through years of small, everyday kindnesses rather than dramatic declarations. Craik builds their attachment with restraint and tenderness, contrasting the impulsiveness of youth around them with the patient, old-fashioned devotion that gives the story its title. A gentle, character-driven love story about steadfastness, propriety, and the quiet courage it takes to hope.