‘I don’t necessarily need a career. But I do need something worthwhile to occupy myself with. Maybe I can get involved in conservation issues. The situation sounds to be as bad in Australia as here. And – and there are various other possibilities I’d like to explore. Creative options, perhaps.’

She didn’t know him well enough to tell him about her secret ambition to write novels, or about the two short stories she’d had published in magazines during the past year – and been paid for, which made her feel like a professional writer. She hadn’t told anyone about that, not even her aunt and uncle. The thought of becoming a novelist was too precious a dream. She couldn’t bear anyone to treat it as if it was a hobby like embroidery.

She was working on her first novel now and it suddenly occurred to her that she’d probably have plenty of time to devote to it if she married Ben Saunders. A shiver of joy ran up and down her spine. This was all fitting together so well.

Only… it seemed too good to be true. How could this fairy tale possibly be happening to her?

He leaned forward slightly. ‘All that remains now, Megan, is to arrange our marriage as quickly as possible. I’m sure my Aunt Louisa would do that for us, if you’d trust her. She lives in London and anything is possible there. We can just have a quiet wedding, if you don’t mind. My aunt is the only member of my family whom I really care about and there are one or two old friends whom I’d like to invite. Would that be all right with you?’

‘Won’t she think it strange, you marrying someone you hardly know?’

‘She’s been telling me it’s time I got married for ages. I think she’ll be delighted, especially once she’s met you.’

Elation sizzled through Megan, but it was followed by a jolt of pure terror as the marriage began to seem real.

He stood up and came to pull her to her feet. ‘I shall be very proud of my beautiful wife.’ First he raised her hand to his lips, which sent her wits scattering to the four winds, then he drew her into his embrace and began to kiss her. When he moved back, he was looking as stunned as she felt.

‘No one’s ever kissed me like you do,’ she whispered.

‘No one’s ever roused me so quickly, either,’ he admitted, his breathing deep and uneven. ‘So it’s agreed – we’re getting married next week.’

Next week! How could he speak about it so calmly?

‘Unless you’re going to change your mind?’