The Broom-Squire

"The Broom-Squire" by S. Baring-Gould is a story set in the late 1800s, that follows the life of a sailor grappling with the heavy loss of his wife who now must take care of their little baby girl on his own; it all starts when the sailor carrying his crying baby stumbles into a tavern called the "Ship" after the death of his wife, meets with the kind landlady of the tavern who is concerned by the sailor’s clumsy handling of the child, and who tries to help the sailor the best she can while also exchanging some light and witty banter, hinting at the complex mix of emotions he is dealing with, but the tavern is also full of people who have evil intentions, turning a sad and unfortunate event into a dark adventure. The book tells a suspenseful story of family matters, and community, all wrapped up in a journey filled with unknowns.