They drove on but Keely couldn’t resist one last quick look as they left the lilies behind. She was a tourist after all and she did think they were beautiful.

The sun was low in the sky when they finally turned onto a narrow road lined with the inevitable trees. The roadside forest was so large and thick that in some places the foliage met like a cathedral arch above their heads. Keely was exhausted now. Her stomach was aching and she longed to lie down.

“Here we are,” Euan announced as he slowed the car. “Welcome to Levallier Dell…bloody hell!”

In spite of her tiredness Keely couldn’t hold back the nervous giggle. “Do you welcome all your guests with rhyming poetry?”

Euan didn’t answer. He was leaning forward, peering up at the gleaming sign with Levallier Dell Wines written in gold. The letters were outlined in black, which made them pop out from the green sign in the fading light.

“Now what?” he muttered and let the car roll forward onto a neat crushed-rock drive that swept down from the road in a curve, towards a distant group of buildings. All around them vines stretched away in lines.

The house stood apart from the assortment of sheds. The front was hidden by a tangle of shrubs and roses but Keely barely got a look as they whizzed past and pulled up with a lurch under a vine-covered carport at the back entrance. She gripped the pillow and gritted her teeth.

Euan looked at her as if he’d just remembered she was there. “You must be worn out. Wait here while I take in the bags. I won’t be long.”

He disappeared around a lattice wall, which was smothered in a rambling rose. Keely took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Now that she was here she was a little nervous. Euan had been very kind to her but she still didn’t feel as if she knew him well and here she was about to stay the night in his house. Too uncomfortable to sit a minute longer in the car, she carefully eased herself out.

“Take it easy.” Euan appeared back by her side and offered his arm.

Reluctantly, she leaned on him. “Thanks,” she murmured. Her stomach ached and her legs were behaving like wobbly bowls of jelly but his support was reassuring.

He helped her into the house and onto a large comfy couch piled with cushions. Keely glanced around the room. It was a big family room with high raked ceilings and an open kitchen. Euan was busy rattling around in the cupboards. It was getting dark but he had turned on some lamps and the glow gave a cosy effect to the large space. There was no sign of anyone else.

“Did you say your son lived here?” she asked.