Rosamunde Pilcher: Herzenssehnsucht (2009)

Kate O’Hara, a young fashion designer, is part of her family’s successful linen-weaving business in Ireland. Her husband, Patrick, is also involved in the company. Although the couple presents the image of a harmonious family to the outside world, their marriage has been troubled for a long time. Since Kate and Patrick have been unable to have a child, Kate’s father, Jonathan MacKenzie, managed to persuade his daughter in particular to adopt little Theresa. But there is a secret about the child that Jonathan has kept to himself. Theresa is the daughter of Gregory O’Reilly, an illegitimate son of the family patriarch. Some time before his death, Gregory had entrusted the child to his father. Kate is a devoted mother to little Theresa and takes her responsibilities very seriously. This leads to arguments more than once with Patrick, who has little idea what to do with the child. During this difficult period, Kate meets her old childhood friend Nicholas again. He works as a lawyer and has returned to his hometown to take a break. Their old closeness returns at once, and feelings of love for one another soon rekindle too—this time for Kate as well, who had not realized that Nicholas had loved her back then. Jonathan MacKenzie, however, has no idea that his son lied to him when he said Theresa’s mother was dead too. In reality, Gregory took advantage of the opportunity when Claire Mooloy, Theresa’s mother, was in the hospital and had entrusted him with the child for that time, and took Theresa away from her. Claire, who never stopped searching for her daughter, now knows where Theresa lives. She is determined to get her daughter back. She watches the child in her new, luxurious surroundings, then initially withdraws, unsure what to do. But she eventually decides to seek a lawyer’s advice and ends up with Nicholas. He asks her not to do anything for the time being. When Claire nevertheless tries to approach her daughter, she has an accident and is taken to the hospital. Theresa recognizes her mother on the stretcher, but tells only Nicholas that she recognized her. He promises the girl that he will take care of everything. Theresa runs away, however, and makes her way to her mother in the hospital. After the two flee from there, Jonathan launches a large-scale search, which ends with Claire and Theresa being separated once again. Nicholas manages to convince Claire that Theresa has a wonderful life with her current family and a future in which every opportunity is open to her. Claire then makes a decision that demands everything of her, since she cannot offer her daughter even a fraction of what she has now. So she writes her daughter a letter explaining everything. Patrick, whom Jonathan has asked to meet with Claire, receives a letter from her to give to Theresa. Since he is in financial trouble, he sees this as an opportunity to pocket the money Jonathan had given him in exchange for Claire giving up her claim. He forges the documents and tears up the letter for Theresa. Theresa is bitterly disappointed when her grandfather tells her the version Patrick had fed him. She tells only Nicholas how distressed she is; he quickly figures things out and exposes Patrick’s schemes, which Jonathan has also since uncovered. Patrick leaves the company and his family without regret. Claire returns and takes her daughter with her. Kate still has her love for Nicholas, and the two plan to make a fresh start together in Paris.