Chapters (50)
- Cover
- About the Book
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- Thirty-four
- Thirty-five
- Thirty-six
- Thirty-seven
- Thirty-eight
- Thirty-nine
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
- Also by Sandie Docker
- Book Club Questions
- Welcome to the Kookaburra Creek Café
- Prologue
- One
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Angus Lewis spent some time chatting to us at the stall. I assumed he was interested in Lucy for more than her artistic talents. I was wrong.
He called on me yesterday, most unexpectedly, to make his intentions clear. I found myself in need of sitting down. I even poured a stiff sherry.
He is a perfectly amiable man, as you well know, and despite him being some years my senior, we have always enjoyed a warm friendship. But, for him to court me? I am simply not interested. His wife, Katherine, passed I think eight months ago, and he is lonely. That I can most sympathetically understand. But I am not the solution to his problem.
I cannot imagine being in the arms of another man, my darling, and I am now so used to being alone I am quite set in my ways. I told him as much; the latter, not the former. I do have some sense of compassion. He said he was willing to wait for me to come round to the idea. And I believe him, Thomas. The man had a look of determination I have rarely seen and I feel he will be more than persistent in his attempts to woo me. What am I to do?
Lucy suggested I should reconsider my rejection, but she is mad. She still holds hope I have a hidden artistic talent to discover, so, clearly we cannot trust her judgement. Always the optimist, my sweet Lucy.
I have decided to redecorate the cottage. I feel that I am drifting though my life with no real purpose and perhaps this is a project that will help. I need some more colour in my life, though I am sure Mother will disagree. She and Father have bought a new apartment in Sydney, closer to the university. Mother’s letters continue to describe her social engagements mostly, but every now and again Father puts pen to paper and he seems happier than I can remember him ever being. He writes fondly of his students and enthusiastically of his work. He never mentions Mother’s parties or soirees.
It is late, once more, and I must to bed. I will need all the strength I can muster to keep Angus Lewis at bay, I fear. Wish me luck.
Forever yours,
Ivy
Charlie knew Nicole had been frustrated losing to him so many times before today. It had been a few weeks since she’d tasted victory. He’d thought about letting her win, holding back. He didn’t want her to get so perturbed that she’d stop coming. Not that he was overly thrilled to have her there. But he was kind of getting used to her.