This is absolutely beautiful. The setting, characters and dialogue are so faithful to the time period, and with the details of the weather, the sky, wind, flowers, the river, changing in each season, it's as vivid as a movie; it's like being there with Eileen, experiencing this time of freedom and changes with her.
Eileen's relationship with her mother and sister, her grieving over her father, her frank but ever so slightly regretful assesment of her looks, bring her to life like no other fic I've read. I love this Eileen, and Toby too, even though to the reader it's so clear that their relationship will have everything working against it.
This is a wonderful gift to us. Thank you so much for writing it, and to atdelphi for the request!