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Contents (51)
  1. She
  2. Copyright
  3. Note to Readers
  4. Contents
  5. Prologue
  6. Part One
  7. Chapter One
  8. Chapter Two
  9. Chapter Three
  10. Chapter Four
  11. Chapter Five
  12. Chapter Six
  13. Chapter Seven
  14. Chapter Eight
  15. Chapter Nine
  16. Chapter Ten
  17. Chapter Eleven
  18. Chapter Twelve
  19. Chapter Thirteen
  20. Chapter Fourteen
  21. Chapter Fifteen
  22. Part Two
  23. Chapter Sixteen
  24. Chapter Seventeen
  25. Chapter Eighteen
  26. Chapter Nineteen
  27. Chapter Twenty
  28. Chapter Twenty-One
  29. Chapter Twenty-Two
  30. Chapter Twenty-Three
  31. Chapter Twenty-Four
  32. Chapter Twenty-Five
  33. Chapter Twenty-Six
  34. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  35. Part Three
  36. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  37. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  38. Chapter Thirty
  39. Chapter Thirty-One
  40. Chapter Thirty-Two
  41. Chapter Thirty-Three
  42. Chapter Thirty-Four
  43. Chapter Thirty-Five
  44. Chapter Thirty-Six
  45. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  46. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  47. Part Four
  48. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  49. Epilogue
  50. Acknowledgements
  51. About the Publisher

Love always,

Dad

Jo swallowed hard and carefully folded the letter back up, before replacing it in the envelope. She sank down onto the dusty floorboards, not caring any longer what creepy-crawlies might be hidden in the gaps between them.

She had known all along, of course. She had overheard Peter and Bella arguing, that first day when Ben brought Bella home to meet them. But she had made a decision there and then to forget what she had heard and do what she had done in the past, by wiping any memory of it from her brain, for Ben’s sake.

To do anything differently – to act on what she knew – would mean the end of Ben’s relationship with Peter and she couldn’t risk that. So she had wiped the truth from her mind all those years ago and lived her life convinced that what they didn’t know, wouldn’t hurt them.

And it had been the right decision. Ben had loved Peter and Peter had loved Ben with a powerful and fierce love, which is why he had allowed Bella to blackmail him. He was protecting Ben. As he said in the letter, anything he did, he did out of love for his child.

Jo clambered to her feet and looked at the letter in her hand. She would take it downstairs and burn it, so that the next visitors to the loft never found it.

Yes, she decided, as she set light to the paper and watched it disappear into a small pile of ash in the fire grate. What they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them.

Acknowledgements

I could not have written this book without the help of Nikki Shepherd, who read numerous early drafts, made many plot suggestions and provided endless encouragement (and bottles of wine!) to pull me through a very difficult year. Cheers to you, my lovely friend.

Huge thanks, as ever, to my fabulous agent at Curtis Brown, Sheila Crowley, who is always on hand with her wisdom, insight and tireless support. I am so lucky to have her in my corner.

I am also truly fortunate to be published by the inspirational Lisa Milton at HQ and to have the equally inspiring Kate Mills as my editor. Kate’s steady guidance and brilliant ideas have steered me in the right direction and made me feel that I am in safe hands.

Love and gratitude are due to some very special friends: Jane Moore, Gary Farrow, Sarah Caplin, Robert Rinder, Leanne Clarke and Jacqui Moore. Thank you all.

Thank you to both the Warner and Duggan clans, especially my mum, Ann, who continues to be my biggest cheerleader.

And finally, thank you to the loves of my life, Alice, Paddy and Rob. You are everything.

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About the Publisher

Australia

HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.

Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street

Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia

http://www.harpercollins.com.au

Canada

HarperCollins Canada

Bay Adelaide Centre, East Tower

22 Adelaide Street West, 41st Floor