The conversation stopped and Anna dragged her further into the room.

“This is my son, Sean.” Anna indicated a young man standing at the stove stirring something in a large pot, then she waved towards the table. “There’s my daughter, Megan, her husband, Terry and their boys, Sam and Tom. Next are my wonderful neighbours, Mary and David.”

Keely’s face radiated heat as all eyes looked her way expectantly.

“Hello, everyone,” she murmured.

“There will be a test on all those names later.” Mary laughed. “Come and sit by me, Keely. I hear you’ve got a talent with beads and you’ve already been into my shop.”

“Yes, and look at this dear little decoration she’s made with them.” Anna handed over the bottle and jumble of beads from her pocket before turning her attention to the food.

Keely sat, relieved that the conversation around the table had resumed and all the eyes in the room were no longer focused on her. She glanced at Mary, who was untangling the bottle cover.

Mary’s dark hair was held back from her face by a beaded head band and she wore a maroon cheesecloth top that was gathered under her bust line by some kind of stitching. The opening at the neck revealed a black turtleneck sweater. Delicate earrings made of deep red and green gems and beads dangled from her ears. She looked like someone from the seventies.

“I like jewellery making,” Keely said. “This is just something I’ve dabbled with while I’ve been staying at Levallier Dell.”

“Jewellery is my love too.” Mary studied Keely’s project with enthusiasm. “But I don’t get as much time as I’d like. The shop keeps me busy. The winter months used to be the time I got on with my own projects but we seem to have extras in the town all year round now.”

“Margaret River’s a pretty place. I’m almost glad I had the appendix op or I might not have come this way. I was heading north.”

“A lot of South Aussies end up here for one reason or another. David came from Broken Hill, which is nearly South Australian. He’s a truckie. These days he directs their movements and isn’t on the road quite so much.”

Mary put a gentle hand on her husband’s broad back.

“That’s because you’ve got him on too short a rein,” Euan teased from further down the table.

“Some people need a short rein.” Anna reached over and placed bowls of steaming soup in front of them. “Flynn’s had a time of it while you’ve been away.”

“He worries too much.” Euan shook his head.

“Where is he, anyway?” Sean asked. He was the one ladling the soup into the bowls. “Keely and I are the only young ones here.”