Convinced that she wouldn’t go all the way to her due date, Martha had proved herself right and, after a textbook labour with Tom at his wife’s side, Eliza had arrived exactly a week early. So far, she had been a model baby and was already occasionally sleeping through the night. Everyone had said that they would expect nothing less. Yet for all Martha’s capable efficiency, there was a new and more gentle side to her these days, an acceptance that perhaps there were things she couldn’t control and that actually it didn’t matter. Being a mother had softened the spikiest of her edges and that, in Naomi’s opinion, was a good thing.

There were fleeting moments when Naomi caught herself thinking of Colin and what he was missing out on. Another generation of my Miller Girls! he would have proudly boasted. Except they weren’t his Miller Girls any longer. They had all, including Naomi, moved on to be their own person in their own right.

Suddenly putting his arm around her, and breaking into her thoughts, Ellis said, ‘I’ve just realised that it’s exactly a year and two weeks since I moved here.’

Naomi turned her head and smiled at him. ‘It’s been a tumultuous year, and hardly what you expected when you moved into the village. You probably thought you’d found some quiet little backwater where you could conveniently set up temporary camp before moving on to something more permanent and exciting.’

He pulled her closer to him. ‘What I found here far exceeded anything I could have imagined. And based on this first year with you, I’m curious to see what this one will bring.’

‘Well, my guess is that you’re going to want another house project to keep you busy, and I have a suggestion in mind for Willow when she feels she’s ready.’

‘What’s that, then?’

‘I’ve been thinking it might be fun to start up my gardenalia business again, maybe focusing more on online sales rather than renting a shop. I’m hoping Willow might like to help, and who knows, if she takes to it, I could step back and spend more time looking after Serenity while she does the lion’s share of the work. What do you think?’

‘I think you know perfectly well that it’s a great idea. But what if Willow wants to leave Tilsham and go back to London? Or move somewhere else?’

‘Then I’ll have to rethink things. What will be, will be.’

‘A sentiment I fully endorse,’ he said. ‘And one we should drink to.’

He delved into the picnic basket for the bottle of wine and after refilling their glasses, he was about to raise his glass to touch hers when he hesitated.

‘But if there was one thing you could make happen, rather than leave it to chance, what would it be?’ he asked.

‘Oh, that’s easy,’ she said. ‘I’d like us to be married.’

Surprise flickered across his face. ‘But I thought you didn’t want that? I thought—’