Character Introduction: Meet Margaret Harrington

Some characters quietly reveal themselves over time. Margaret Harrington was one of those characters.

Raised in the comfort and security of Victorian England, Margaret leaves behind a life of privilege to accompany her husband, James, to India. She believes she is simply following him as he embarks on one of the British Empire's great engineering projects.

She could not be more mistaken. India challenges everything Margaret believes about duty, compassion and belonging. What begins as a journey to support her husband becomes a journey of self-discovery, one that will transform not only her own life but the lives of countless others she encounters along the way.

In many ways, Margaret became the emotional heart of Of Iron and Incense. While James helps forge a railway through the Himalayan foothills, Margaret discovers that the greatest legacy we leave is not measured in stone or steel, but in the lives we choose to change.

Creating Margaret was one of the most rewarding parts of writing Of Iron and Incense, and it became deeply emotional for me. She reminded me that courage is not always loud. Sometimes it is found in quiet acts of kindness, in questioning long-held beliefs, and in having the strength to embrace a world very different from your own.

I hope you will enjoy meeting Margaret.