Only the Leaves Whispering

Jock MacNeil, the eldest son of a Highland Catholic family, leaves school at 13 to pursue a blacksmith's life, but a family tragedy prompts him to set sail for the New World. Along his journey, he befriends a retired Royal Navy surgeon and a sailor from the CSS Alabama, discovering lessons in responsibility and self-defense among seafarers. The story explores his resilience and the challenges he faces crossing the Atlantic, with intrigue and adventure on the horizon.