There was a furious round of kisses and goodbyes until finally there was only Serena and Oscar standing before them.

‘I’m going to miss you so much.’ Serena sniffed as she mopped at her eyes with the handkerchief Oscar had handed to her. ‘Make sure you take good care of her, Bill.’

‘Oh, you need have no worries on that score,’ Bill assured her and then after yet more kisses, he helped his wife into the carriage.

Ruby gave a little sigh of contentment as she leant back on the seat, her eyes closed.

‘Are you happy, Mrs Waters?’ Bill asked as he took her in his arms and nuzzled her neck.

She nodded dreamily, and, nestling in his arms, she knew that at last she had found her true home.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

As always, I would love to say a massive thank you to my brilliant ‘Rosie Team’ at Bonnier Zaffre who all play a part in making my books as good as they can be!

Thank you to Sarah Bauer, my lovely editor, always at the end of the phone with support and encouragement, Kate Parkin for believing in me, Gillian Holmes, my amazing copy editor, Felice McKeown my marketer and Jane Howard my proofreader as well as all the rest of the team, too many to mention. You are all greatly appreciated and it’s an absolute joy to work with you all.

Not forgetting my brilliant agent, Sheila Crowley without who none of this would have happened, and finally my wonderful family and all my lovely readers who make my day with their lovely comments.

Thank you all xxx

Also by Rosie Goodwin

Also by Rosie Goodwin

The Bad Apple

No One’s Girl

Dancing Till Midnight

Tilly Trotter’s Legacy

Moonlight and Ashes

The Mallen Secret

Forsaken

The Sand Dancer

Yesterday’s Shadows

The Boy from Nowhere

A Rose Among Thorns

The Lost Soul

The Ribbon Weaver

A Band of Steel

Whispers

The Misfit

The Empty Cradle

Home Front Girls

A Mother’s Shame

The Soldier’s Daughter

The Mill Girl

The Maid’s Courage

The Claire McMullen Series

Our Little Secret

Crying Shame

Dilly’s Story Series

Dilly’s Sacrifice

Dilly’s Lass

Dilly’s Hope

The Days of the Week Collection

Mothering Sunday

The Little Angel

A Mother’s Grace

The Blessed Child

A Maiden’s Voyage

A Precious Gift

Time to Say Goodbye

The Precious Stones Series

The Winter Promise

An Orphan’s Journey

About the Author

About the Author