Ingonish Dilemma Book II

At her fiancé's urging, LAURA PARKER, drives to Ingonish, on Canada's east coast, to sell the ancestral homestead she has inherited. Her fiancé owns a successful construction business in Ottawa, and he has no time to come with her to some backwater fishing village. SANDY CAMPBELL is in Ingonish to carry out a large land surveying contract for the provincial government. Sandy is unattached and available for a good time. After surveying for 10 years in Canada's far north, he envisions himself making up for lost time in the pursuit of the fun and excitement of the modern social scene. Laura's life is in turmoil after her fiancé called from Ottawa, announcing he has decided to change career paths. He has been offered a fabulous position by his newfound buddy, the president of a multinational corporation. The job is in Montreal and he wants Laura to move there with him before the wedding. Laura is forced to confront the moral values she has grown up with, and the necessity to give up her own career with the school children she loves. She is caught in a horrible dilemma. Sandy writes a letter to Laura on the excuse of sending her photos he took on their afternoon at the beach with her cousin's children. In the letter he confesses his newfound feelings for her and his wish that they might somehow see one another again. Laura is touched by Sandy baring his feelings to her, but his message has created another dilemma for her. She admits to herself her own attraction to Sandy, but knows it is futile to even think that way. She is engaged to be married. She must find a way to gently tell Sandy to back off. Exposure to the Scottish culture and laid back lifestyle of friends and neighbors in the village causes Laura to have misgivings about the obsessive career ambitions of her fiancé and the possible effect on their future married relationship. In her heart she begins to have doubts about herself and her commitment to her fiancé. Laura worries herself almost into a state of panic. He fiancé is extra busy at his business and has not called. She does not know what he is thinking. A visit with her local minister and a heart to heart chat with her cousin convince her she must talk with her fiancé. Should she fly back home? No, he would think she was silly. She finally decides she must phone him. After several frustrating attempts she gets through to him at work in Ottawa. Outpouring her pent up emotions, they finally have a frank, open and honest discussion. Suddenly, by mutual agreement, the engagement is broken off. Laura is torn between remorse and relief, but knows she must get on with her life. Working together with a neighbour on her house renovations, she hears all the local gossip. Rumors persist of the mining development about to threaten her property. Circumstances deepen her suspicions that Sandy may be involved. Laura decides a day with her cousin's children is what she needs to take her mind off her troubles. She invites them for a shopping and sightseeing car trip to Baddeck. As they make their way along Main Street the girls spot Sandy, and then mob him when he stops to talk with them. They all end up having lunch with Sandy at a street front restaurant. But the girls monopolize the conversation so she and Sandy have no chance to talk privately. Sandy is in contact with Laura's cousin and learns the engagement is off. He works up his courage to make a move, determined to present himself in a better image. Still filled with her own lingering self-doubt about the end of her engagement, Laura receives a call from Sandy inviting her to dinner. She hesitates before accepting, still suspicious he may not be as he appears. But the dinner date turns out to be fun; a time of mutual discovery. Laura and Sandy spend the next day together, playing tourist and sharing a picnic in the fabulous scenery along the Atlantic coast of Cape Breton Island. Her attraction to Sandy becomes too great to deny. On the eve of another date, Sandy mysteriously disappears. As the hours pass, anxiety turns to disgust when Laura decides Sandy has stood her up. She remembers all the rumors circulating in the village about the proposed mining development and assumes the worst. In her anger, she concludes Sandy must be working on that dreadful project. Perhaps he only befriended her to get his clutches on her land. Laura is devastated by how she has fallen for each of the recent two men in her life. Somehow the pain is worse this time. Deep in her heart she knows the reason. The next morning, still furious as she attempts to get back into her daily routine, a terrible roar fills the air, approaching from over the mountain behind the farm. An orange helicopter settles into the hayfield at the edge of her yard. Out steps Sandy. While on an urgent reconnaissance survey for the government, Sandy had been stranded deep in the highland wilderness when a severe storm grounded the helicopter.