Paula smiled at the pale-faced woman he had left behind. “How are you Heather? What would you like to drink?” When they had first met, Heather was recovering from a bad bout of flu that had put her in hospital for a few days. Paula had thought then that the dark rings around her eyes and the pale complexion were due to illness but she had come to realise Heather always looked tired.

The worry lines left Heather’s face temporarily as she smiled. “Juice would be fine,” she said.

“Are you sure? Dan has stocked up on all sorts. Just because I can’t drink alcohol doesn’t mean everyone else has to abstain.”

“I’m not much of a drinker. I’m happy with juice.” Heather glanced around. “Bruce and Jane should be here soon. We dropped Bridget there on the way through. She’s going to look after their two boys tonight.”

“Have you heard from Jim and Mary?” Dara asked Heather as Paula handed her a drink.

“Yes, they’re having a lovely holiday. They said to thank you for the suggestions for places to stay and eat in Sydney, Paula.”

“I’m glad they’re enjoying themselves,” Paula said. She liked Jim McInerney. He was the local car dealer and had given Paula a temporary job when she’d first arrived in the district. She’d actually taken Heather’s place running his office for a while. That had been another bone of contention with Ted. He had all but accused Paula of interfering with his wife’s job. Heather had been very sick at the time and had been happy with the small changes Paula had made to improve the efficiency of the office.

A loud knocking preceded Bruce and Jane’s entrance and there were more greetings all round. The kitchen was buzzing and Paula allowed herself to relax a little. Dan’s best mate and his wife could be relied upon for moral support. Jane had been Paula’s first visitor when, as a new bride, she had been abandoned by her husband for what they laughingly called ‘tractor season’ – the time of year when farmers worked round the clock to sow their crops. The two young couples were great friends. The success of tonight’s gathering all boiled down to Ted Watson and what kind of mood he was in. He had the knack of putting Paula on edge and she was already anxious enough about the cooking.

“Sorry we’re so late,” Jane said. “I couldn’t get James to sleep. He’s gone off now but I told Bridget to give us a call if she has trouble.”