‘Anytime. In fact, why don’t you come to dinner tonight? You can do your undercover stuff with Matt, quiz him about his trip today. And hear all Sophie’s plans for Sandstone,’ she added. ‘You know she’s got the go-ahead for opening the place to campers? She and Luke are out there right now with a contractor. He’s doing a – what do they call it? – a feasability thing for building a boardwalk. I shouldn’t think it’ll be done this year, because of course there’s more to it than a boardwalk. They’ll need the road fixed and ablution blocks and a ranger’s house. Somebody will have to be on site twenty-four-seven, after all, and they’ll have to have somewhere to live. It might suit Luke,’ she added judiciously. ‘He’s getting engaged at Christmas and could well be married by the time the place is ready.’ She gave the sun a guilty glance and stood up. ‘I have to go, Connor. I told Mum an hour and it’s closer to two. Will you come tonight?’

‘You try and keep me away.’ He had taken her hands in his and now leant forward to give her a quick, light peck on the lips. ‘Just an earnest against later canoodling, Ms Matilda.’

‘You mean this sort of thing?’ Tilly grabbed him, her arms going around his neck as she kissed him passionately. He seemed to freeze for a millisecond, then she found herself enfolded and the kiss being enthusiastically returned. For a long heady moment they clung together before he released her and stepped back.

‘That’s more or less what I had in mind,’ he agreed. ‘Drive safely, dear one, and I’ll catch you later.’

Chapter Twenty-eight

Tilly, hands and feet automatically performing their tasks, remembered little of the drive home. She felt as giddy as a young girl and simultaneously longed both to tell somebody and to keep the matter secret. Her thoughts swooped dizzyingly between the joy his words had produced – I’ve fallen for you – and wondering how a love affair could be managed when both of them lived such different lives. When the undercover operation ended, what then? He was based in Darwin and her life was here at Binboona. Still, that was for later. Right now, remembering the electrical charge of that kiss, she could think only of being wanted, of being loved and of anticipating their next encounter.

Driving into the shed, she was in time to catch the first travellers of the day as they pulled up behind her. ‘Morning,’ she sang at the newcomer, bestowing a flashing smile upon him and what she could see of the others within the vehicle.

‘Well, somebody’s in a good mood,’ he responded. ‘Ben Carson and family. We booked last month.’