“She was a breath of Antipodean fresh air to me and I fell in love with her at once. Like you, she was keen to visit Western Australia. I followed her to Perth. The rest is history. We married and found paradise here at Margaret River. Lucy was a talented artist, as well as my partner in the vineyard. We began it not long after the first wineries were established. In the days before people associated this area with serious wine. We planted everything, tended it ourselves and there was always the surf nearby. Flynn was our only child and he made our life complete.” Euan stopped. Keely could see the tight set of his jaw as he stared into the fire. He tipped the last of his wine into his mouth and swallowed. “Strange how things change. The three of us did everything together but it was Lucy who made us a family, her magic that wove us together. It’s more than sixteen years since her weak heart stopped. I still miss her, no matter how hard I try, but life goes on.”

The wind had dropped right away while they’d been eating. The fire crackled in the silence. It was a perfect night with the stars shining above. Keely didn’t speak. It was as if Euan had been telling the last part of his story to the fire and she had been eavesdropping. He obviously loved and missed his wife and yet something wasn’t right. She recalled Flynn’s outburst the morning after her arrival. He had assumed Keely was Euan’s lover and had intimated there had been others. The memory was enough to make her squirm all over again but somehow Flynn’s version didn’t make sense with the gentle tale Euan had just poured out.

“Lucy would have loved those decorations.”

Keely was startled from her thoughts. In the glow from the fire she could see the twinkle was back in Euan’s eyes but she had no idea what decorations he was talking about.

“Those bead covers for the wine bottles,” he said.

“Oh, they’re nothing special. My mother and her friends have got several sets.”

“But yours are made with Margaret River beads and your own creative flair. Have faith in yourself, Keely.” Once again, he said her name with the hint of Irish that reminded her of her grandfather. She shivered.

“I’d better get you home,” he said. “Don’t want you catching cold while I’m looking after you. The days are beautiful at this time of the year but the nights can still be very chilly.”