Emily looked around the kitchen, sat down in the chair by the back door, opened up the notebook, and began to read.

Epilogue

DUCK

Anas platyrhynchos

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Ophelia, who lived by the seaside with her parents, and her pet duck named Terence. Ophelia longed to do all the things any normal boy or girl would do, like climb trees, jump through the tide, or simply ride a bike. But Ophelia’s legs didn’t work properly, and so she had to use a wheelchair instead of being able to walk.

This often made her sad, but Terence was ever such a happy little duck, and every night before she went to sleep, he would tell Ophelia that one day the angels would grant her a single wish. One that would change her life forever.

On Ophelia’s tenth birthday, she woke to the sound of someone singing. Her father carried her downstairs, with Terence trotting close behind, to where her mother was in the kitchen, scrambling some eggs and bacon.

Her mother announced that today was an extra-special day, not only because it was Ophelia’s birthday, but because they were taking her to the oldest bookstore in the world. It was a place filled with magic and adventure, and Ophelia was allowed to choose any book she wished…

Acknowledgments

For me, writing a book is a bit like a leap of faith, trusting that the snippet of an idea which randomly pops into my head will at some point become a story. But the words would never come if I didn’t believe that I was good enough to write them, and belief takes both time and a whole host of people to help along the way.

Huge thanks go to my agent extraordinaire, Hayley Steed, who saw the potential in my writing and has been on my side ever since.

To Ben Willis and his ferocious editing eye, thank you for believing in the story and helping me understand how to get to the heart of it. Thank you also to Lucy Frederick and all the team at Orion for helping create an actual, physical, bona fide book.

Thank you to Leah Hultenschmidt for bringing my story across the pond and loving Anne of Green Gables as much as I do! A huge thanks also goes to Ella Laythem and Elizabeth Turner Stokes for the gorgeous cover, along with Jodi Rosoff, Sabrina Flemming, and the rest of the team at Forever—you have all been so very welcoming and enthusiastic about the book.

For the encouragement, the pep talks and all the words of wisdom when I feel like throwing all my toys out of the cot, I have to thank my gang of amazing writing friends: Debs, Kate, Hannah, Rachel, Tom, Noel, Hynam, Chloe, Sophie, and Natasha, you are incredible and I am very lucky to know you all.

Of course, there is my family, without whom none of this would be possible. The love and support, along with giving me the time and space to write, are the reason this book exists. Oh, and thank you to Cookie (the dog), because my children seem to think you had a role in this too…