Her mother pulled away and hastily wiped her eyes, composing herself once more. ‘It was my fault, nothing that you or Gran did. I should have realised a lot sooner what it was that I was feeling, and tried to do something about it. I guess it’s only since I’ve got older and life seems to have slowed down that I’m able to sit and see things differently. Anyway, it’s all in the past now.’

‘That doesn’t mean we can’t start over and make things better now,’ Elle said.

‘Exactly,’ Caroline said, and this time when she smiled Elle saw something that looked a lot like relief in her mother’s eyes.

‘Now, I don’t suppose you’ve heard Malcolm’s news?’ Caroline asked.

‘No. What?’ Elle replied, wondering what amazing thing he’d done now. Probably engineered a cure for the common cold.

‘He’s moved in with his new girlfriend,’ Caroline said in a dry tone.

‘What girlfriend?’ Elle asked, taking an eager sip of her coffee as she waited for the gossip.

‘Becky Sloan,’ her mother said crisply.

Elle gasped, inhaling her mouthful of coffee and almost choking. Once she had herself back under control, she stared at her mother incredulously.

‘Yes, I know. Quite a surprise.’

Elle bit back a smug little smile as she recalled how Mal had protested that day at Gran’s will reading. Just mates my arse—

‘Called to tell us a few days ago. Just dropped it into the conversation like it was nothing special.’

‘So, Becky moved to Sydney?’

‘Apparently.’

‘Ha,’ Elle said. ‘Well, I hope it works out for them. I like Becky.’

Her mother gave a short huff. ‘Yes, well, I guess time will tell.’ ‘Give her a chance, Mum,’ Elle urged gently. ‘Malcolm could have chosen anyone, but he wants Becky. He deserves to be happy.’

‘Yes, I know.’ Caroline leaned forward to place her cup on the coffee table in front of her. ‘Your father’s already given me the lecture about not butting in. I’m trying,’ she said with sardonic little grin.

‘I have faith in you, Mum,’ Elle chuckled as Alice returned to join them. Elle took this as her cue to excuse herself so she could call her brother and get the rest of the story. Maybe things really were changing for the better.

TWENTY-EIGHT

Twenty-eight

Elle stood between her mother and father on the small headland that overlooked the ocean, trying to contain her emotions. In just two days Alice had managed to pull together a simple but poignant farewell to Gran, and standing on the headland with them was a crowd of more than forty family members and friends.