Upon the death of her mother, Agatha finds herself alone for the first time in her life. Much to her surprise, Clarissa, her imaginary childhood friend - the only friend she ever had - starts to appear and engage with her, and eventually becomes visible to everyone else. Agatha, a 32-year- old spinster, must explain the child's 'sudden' appearance. In a moment of panic, she pretends that Clarissa is her own daughter, her love child... A British Library Women Writers Book, originally published in 1927.