‘I see …’ so damn much. She tried again. ‘I see the place where Blake brought me after the accident. A place I could be while my mother was forced to go back to work, unable to take any more time off. A place I could escape to when things became painful, when Victoria was told she couldn’t have children, and Zoe was told she wouldn’t walk again. I see the walled garden Blake asked me to help turn into a herb garden. The fruits we planted, the herbs, the bay trees, and blackthorn. I see the place where I earned the money that went to pay for my culinary college in London,’ she said, drawing in a breath while memories and images flashed through her mind.

‘I see a home, Henry. A safe haven. One that looks over and after our town. I see a place where people come to visit and fall in love with everything that is Hawke’s Cove and come back the year after and the year after that. I see the land that was cared for by a man who helped nurture me back to my sense of self ten years ago. I see him walking amongst the vines that he loved. I see the pride that Blake felt when he produced an award-winning wine. I see how much hard work he put into this estate and the joy that he brought the people of this village when they also reaped the benefits of his hard work.’

Henry hated the sincerity ringing her tone, it was almost righteous and each and every word struck him like a knife.

‘Yeah, well, you know what I see, Lily? All I see? Reminders of the same man who lost himself so much in this damn estate he forgot about his wife, he forgot about his son. A son that he later exiled. A man who instead of asking his son what was wrong, chose to invest his time and his care in you! Because he wasn’t ashamed of you, was he? No. You were completely innocent and I was to blame for the accident that took Claudia’s life.’

This time it was Lily who looked as if she’d been struck. Eyes wide and glistening with unshed tears, he almost hated himself at that moment.

‘Henry, that’s not how he—’

‘Of course it was,’ he growled. ‘Because if not, then why didn’t he reach out to me? Ten years, Lily. Ten damn long years and I never heard a word from him. So yes, you might see all the things that he wanted you to see. A home, a thriving business, his precious vines. But for every single thing you see, I see what I didn’t have. Even before the accident.’

He could hardly see her anymore. The estate dropped away, the vineyards, the summer’s sun and instead he was transported back to the dark, angry ache of his childhood.