She shook her head. ‘No, don’t worry, we always use the masculine, I wouldn’t tell you the baby’s sex unless you asked. Do you want to know?’

Jensen and I looked at each other. He raised an eyebrow as if to say that it was up to me and my heart began to thump.

‘Yes please!’

Rachel picked up the probe again but Jensen quickly put a hand on her arm to stop her.

‘I just need to ask a question first.’ Out of his pocket he pulled the engagement ring that I’d left on the table at home and held it up. ‘Lottie, I love you very much. Will you marry me? For real this time?’

‘YES PLEASE!’

He slipped the ring on to my finger and I reached around his neck and kissed him with all my heart.

‘I’ve seen some things in this room,’ said Rachel with a sniff, ‘but that was the best ever.’

Jensen puffed his chest out. ‘I’m quite pleased with it myself.’

‘Now,’ said Rachel, dabbing a tissue to her eyes, ‘ready to find out the sex?’

‘Do you know?’ I said suddenly. ‘I think I’ve had enough surprises for one day.’

‘Don’t blame you.’ Rachel chuckled, wiping the gel from my tummy.

‘Then shall we go home?’ Jensen held out a hand to me. ‘You and me.’

I laced my fingers through his. ‘And baby makes three.’

For a moment we just looked at each other as if we couldn’t quite believe what had happened and my heart swelled with love for this man.

There was still so much to talk about: his job, my job, the future of the vineyard and what was going to happen when the baby came along.

But none of that mattered. What mattered was that he loved me and I loved him. And when you’ve got love anything is possible.

Epilogue

‘There. It’s finished.’ I pressed the earth firmly around the base of the rose bush and brushed the loose specks of dirt from the brass plaque.

‘Don’t dig it up again, Starsky,’ Jensen said fondly, as the little dog sniffed around the newest plant in the vineyard. Starsky scampered off and took a flying leap into Marjorie’s lap.

‘Muddy paw prints!’ she said drily. ‘Just what I’ve always wanted.’

I peeled off my gardening gloves and thought about standing up. The problem was that at seven and a half months’ pregnant I was so top heavy that I didn’t dare. The thought of toppling over in front of the assembled crowd didn’t appeal.

‘Here, allow me.’ Jensen, anticipating my dilemma as usual, offered me a hand and pulled me up.

‘Why thank you, kind sir.’ I snuggled into him and we wrapped an arm around each other.

‘Read it out to me again,’ said Betsy, squinting in the low winter sunlight.