‘You know I never dreamed I’d find such happiness again after my wife died,’ said William. ‘I have had girlfriends, of course, but they’ve never come to anything. They most of them tried to persuade me to give up gliding. This time feels very different.’

‘It does to me too,’ said Gilly. ‘And I love gliding.’

‘I know you’ve had other offers—’

‘Please don’t remind me.’

‘Then I won’t. But let’s not tell Aunt Daphne that we’ve got together just yet. I think it would be very bad for her to think her matchmaking worked so quickly.’

‘She will be pleased though,’ said Gilly.

‘Delighted. But she’ll become power mad and think she can reorder the universe.’

‘If anyone can, it’s Daphne.’ She took a breath. ‘Now, let’s go upstairs …’

In the very early morning, when William got up to go (bringing a change of clothes would have definitely been presuming, he insisted), Gilly looked at her phone. There was a text from Helena. Jago definitely not gay. Love, H.

Gilly settle back into the pillows, deeply satisfied. If there ever were any, the babies would be adorable.

Chapter Twenty-six

Helena didn’t rush to push her new-found happiness in her friend Amy’s face. Of course she would tell her, but Amy had been away and the time to share this news wasn’t now. Especially as the man Amy had had her eye on last month had not been interested in her. The perfect time would be when they were holed up in their favourite, regular Airbnb after the first day of World of Wool. She’d wait until they’d sunk half a bottle of wine and then tell all.

On Friday evening they drove down together in Helena’s old Volvo that could pack everything in, as always exclaiming over the beauty of the countryside, debating and arguing the best way to get to a little corner of Wales that had no obvious route and getting excited when they finally arrived at the Airbnb.

Setting up the next morning was always fun as, unlike at Springtime, they shared a stall. When they first arrived at their allocated spot, they always felt they’d never make their stall look attractive, and yet somehow they always managed it. It was Helena’s job to go on the first coffee and bacon butty run, finding the stall by following her nose. And she always came back with bits of news about who was there already, and who was expected, along with their breakfast. This time was no different and the show promised to be busier than ever.

‘Well, that was an amazing day, wasn’t it?’ said Amy as at last they unlocked the door to their little home for the night. ‘Best ever, I reckon.’