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Chapter 1

When the other guests left after the dinner party, the two women sat on in the living room while Sarah’s husband cleared up in the kitchen, whistling cheerfully.

She grinned at her cousin. ‘You always look magnificent when you’re angry, Megan. It really is true about red hair and tempers, isn’t it?’

‘My hair is auburn!’ Megan snapped automatically. ‘And you’re not going to distract me with that old line. You promised faithfully! No more introductions, you said.’

Sarah’s voice became coaxing. ‘You’re nearly thirty now. Surely you want to get married and to do that, you have to find a man. So you need to meet more people and—’

‘I’m twenty-eight. And not quite on my last legs yet.’ Megan glared at her cousin. ‘It’s not a sin to be single, you know.’

‘No, but it’s natural to want a husband and family, and besides, I’ve watched you cuddling my little Amy. You’re getting quite mumsy. But how are you going to meet any decent guys if you will go on living in Upper Shenstead? Why, you didn’t even move to London when you were offered a fabulous job there two years ago.’

‘I didn’t move up to London because I prefer to live in the country.’

Sarah wrinkled her nose and blew out a scornful puff of air. ‘Yeah, well, let’s face it, love, you are a bit of a stick-in-the-mud.’

For a moment Megan nearly rose to the bait, then she got herself under control. ‘That’s my choice. You just butt out of my love life from now on.’ She stood up. ‘Good night and thanks for a truly ghastly evening.’

She was out of the house and unlocking her car before Sarah caught up with her.

‘I only do it because I care about you.’

Megan waved but didn’t answer.

As she left the busy little town behind and headed back to her village, she wondered why she’d got so over-the-top mad at her cousin tonight. After all, Sarah had been trying to find her a husband for years. So what had changed?

She answered that ruefully as she parked her car and opened the garden gate. What had changed was herself. She’d started to feel restless and look at friends’ children enviously.

Sarah was right about one thing: it was more than time to make some changes in her life, which was partly why she’d applied to emigrate to Australia. But to her disappointment, they’d rejected her. Secretaries, even those with top skills, were not in great demand down under, it seemed.

So she’d have to think of something else. Only what? She definitely didn’t want to live in a city.