The Beam

The Beam is a love story, centring round an old beam in Devon, the owner of the house containing the beam, and a woman marine researcher. After one or two trivial incidents the woman begins to think they met in a previous life. Then she has an odd vision and becomes certain. Eventually she comes to realise that she loves him and he her, all of which is ridiculed by the owner, a sceptical, practical, pragmatic older man. Subsequent to various events, they quarrel and she leaves in despair. Eventually however, after an experience alone at sea, he comes to understand, almost in spite of himself and the difference in their ages, that he does in fact love her. Then, after a dramatic incident while together at sea, they finally set off to sail around the world..(There is a fair amount of sailing in both books.) The beam in the house acts as a trigger for several other beams of various times and places, all linking the couple together.