‘A stage?’

‘May I show you to your seat, Madam?’ Tom produced a small torch from his jacket and was pretending to shine it along the front row as he eased her into the centre of it and gently pushed her down into a chair. Flush leapt eagerly into the lap of a woman sitting to her right, who she could see now was Barbara. ‘And here is your programme.’ Tom handed her a small booklet before settling into the seat to her left. The lights slowly dimmed and she registered for the first time that all the curtains around the room were closed. Flush gave a contented little sigh and lowered her head against her mistress’s shoulder, and silence fell.

‘And now that our guest of honour is here,’ said a voice she recognised as young Donny’s, booming through a speaker somewhere close by, ‘let the show begin!’

‘You didn’t think I’d let the little matter of a fire stop me, did you?’ Tom whispered into her ear as Chantelle and her girl band stepped nervously into the spotlight. ‘You would never have forgiven me if I’d just given up. The show must go on, as you actors like to say.’

And so must life, Madi thought, settling back into her chair and trying to peer at her programme through a sudden, unexpected blur of tears. Whatever it throws at you, life goes on. And sometimes, if you’re really lucky, it can still find ways to surprise you.

THE END

Don’t miss No Sister of Mine, an enthralling novel of searing domestic suspense and family secrets about two sisters, both emerging into womanhood, who couldn’t be more different …

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Acknowledgements

This book is set in 2020, in the months immediately following 29^th February, known as ‘Leap Day’, when women get their once-every-four-years chance to propose. When I was writing it, none of us had any idea of the imminent coronavirus crisis that was looming or the huge changes it would make to our everyday lives. So, the real 2020 ended up looking a lot different from the one played out in these pages. But it’s fiction, and that means we are allowed a little make-believe!

Writing about a marriage proposal couldn’t fail but bring back memories of the day that Paul and I spent in Hampshire in April 2014, first wandering around Birdworld looking at parrots and penguins, and then taking an evening ride on the Real Ale steam train on the Watercress Line, with Paul strangely keen to get on board quickly at Alton and secure us an empty carriage. Before we had even set off down the track, I found out why! He produced a ring he’d had hidden away in his pocket all day, and had just proposed and slipped the ring onto my finger when another couple decided to join us in the carriage. It didn’t feel right to share our special moment with total strangers, so we acted as normally as we could, made idle chit-chat, drank a few beers and said nothing about it, waiting until the first stop at Alresford to get out and find a spot where he could do it privately and ‘properly’, down on one knee on the station forecourt! Sadly, Prue’s Leap Day proposal didn’t turn out so well, but I hope you enjoyed the ending I chose to give her instead. All’s well that ends well, as they say, and let’s hope this very unusual 2020 turns out well too, with all our family, friends, and everyone we know and love coming out of it safely at the other end. A big thank you to all of mine, just for being around, even if it’s had to be at a two metre distance!