Flors smiled at Paulo, but felt at a loss. Lonia was now in tears. It was obvious that the second yank Monty had given the ribbon had pulled her hair and caused her pain, and yet she was distressed at having upset him. This all reminded Flors so much of how she’d been with Harold. Trying to please him, almost begging for a small amount of kind attention, and feeling cast out and very lonely when nothing was forthcoming.

Arnie held his sobbing daughter close to him. ‘Don’t worry, Flors. Boys will be boys, and Lonia has to learn that. Far better if you had moved away, Lonia, and then Monty wouldn’t have been able to do the same again.’

Flors saw red. Lonia wasn’t to blame. It was a silly thing, but it meant a lot that Monty was made to apologize. ‘Paulo, please go after Monty and ask him to apologize to your sister.’

It was a relief when Monty returned and said he was sorry and that he’d only been teasing. The day was saved, except for Rowena, who slapped her lips once more and nodded knowingly at Flors. For all the world, Flors wanted to defend her son, but knew that she couldn’t. All the same, she praised Monty for doing as she’d asked, and was rewarded with a smile so like her brother’s that the hair stood up on her arms and she felt as if ants were crawling all over her. History couldn’t repeat itself, could it?

Cyrus, returning at that moment, changed the atmosphere. Even though Flors could see that he had shed a tear, on saying goodbye to their sons, Cyrus soon had them all laughing at how the boys had got onto the wrong train, and at the antics they’d all been through to get them settled on the right train.

A week later Flors received a letter from Marjella that further lightened her cares and lifted her fears. Marjella was happy. Her cousin Sibbie and she were enjoying their time together and had made many plans. Marjella didn’t specify what plans, but Flors was sure these would be silly girlie things.

Cyrus and Arnie had taken Paulo and Monty under their wing since the day the older boys had left and had decided to teach them more about making wine, instead of leaving them to do field work. Paulo still spent hours sitting under a tree with his head in a book studying, but accepted that his dreams of becoming a teacher had to be put on hold.