So that was what they did.

As they strolled round the streets, Adam watched Gemma stare and marvel, not surprised at her oohs and aahs. It was a truly beautiful city, in spite of the traffic.

‘Those students are so lucky to come here to university,’ she said wistfully, watching a lively group at another table when they stopped for a coffee. ‘There’s something about these old colleges, an atmosphere you don’t get with modern buildings.’

‘Well, if you achieve the high marks expected in your final results, you might be able to study here too, if you wanted.’

She stared at him in amazement. ‘You can’t mean that! Even if I got a place, wouldn’t it be too expensive?’

He took a deep breath. ‘No, Gemma. You keep refusing to discuss your mother’s will, but you’ve inherited her life insurance money, because she named you as the beneficiary, and that alone is going to be more than enough to cover your expenses. And once we sell the house, you’ll have more money. In fact, you’ll be extremely comfortably off.’

‘But half the house belongs to you, so we’ll be sharing it.’

‘Yes. But Judith and I bought well and there isn’t any mortgage to pay off. In our suburb house prices have zoomed up in the past ten years. Perth has grown rapidly as a city but it’s a rather expensive place to live. I’d like to put the house on the market as soon as you’re ready to move on, start afresh with you somewhere new.’

Her voice was sharp. ‘I’ll think about it.’

‘No hurry.’ He tried not to show that he’d noticed the tears in her eyes. ‘We could make enquiries about places for you in one of the Oxford colleges once you’ve decided what you really want to study. I don’t think it’s business, is it?’

She shook her head.

‘But it might be a good idea to go to a technical college or some other preparatory place of study for a term or two first to add to your attractiveness as a potential student.’

Gemma shivered. ‘I’d be on my own in England if I did my degree here.’

‘No, you wouldn’t. That’s the other decision which has been keeping me awake. I’m going to contact my head of department to confirm that I do want a whole year’s leave without pay. I did warn him that it was possible and he said he understood. He’s a family man too.’

‘How will you live?’

‘I’ve got some money saved and I can rent out my present flat to a guy I know. My skills are very portable and I can pick up odd jobs here and there in England.’

‘It’d help at first to have you around. It all feels so weird. And if this half-sister and I get on well, I’ll have her here too. If she wants to know me, that is.’

‘I’m sure she will want to know you, darling.’

‘I feel as if someone has given my life a good hard shake and jumbled up all the different parts of it.’