Hana nodded and moved towards the door. ‘Good.’

‘And Hana?’ The girl turned, causing Stella to flush again. ‘Thank you.’

Hana nodded, her head high like the strong woman she was. ‘You’re very welcome, Stella.’

She waited a moment until the stupid swell of relief passed before she followed Hana down to the kitchen. Except Hana had moved out to the yard and Zac was eating an Anzac biscuit by himself at the table. He started to stand when she came in and she shooed him back down again with her hand.

‘All alone?’ She glanced around. ‘Where’s Mim?’

‘She said she had something to do.’

‘Up to mischief, then.’ She shrugged. Her mother would return in her own good time. She studied the first man her daughter had brought home in five years. He looked pale, but not as pale as he had on arrival. There was no use asking how he was feeling because he’d just say ‘fine’. Maybe she could pump him for more background information. Make him see the disaster of he and Ava together in the city because again she could feel that vague hostility of foreboding when she thought of Ava with him in her future.

‘I’m sorry to hear about your wife.’

‘Thank you, Stella. I’m sorry to hear about your husband.’ Well, that served her right. But she didn’t give up easily. ‘Were you married long?’

He smiled at her. ‘Five years. You?’

Smart alec. ‘Five. Was she from Sydney?’

Now his eyes positively twinkled. ‘Yes. We grew up together. You two?’ Ping-pong. But she didn’t bite this time because she’d found her opportunity.

‘My husband and I were from two totally different worlds. Though lust blinded us. I nearly went mad when I went back to Sydney with him.’ There, she’d said it.

He studied her face for a minute and then said kindly, ‘I’m sorry to hear that.’ He looked towards the door as Ava laughed from somewhere outside. His face lit up and Stella had the crushing realisation that she’d just wasted her time.

‘Tea, anyone?’ she called, half exasperated and half amused. As if anyone would have been able to change her or Noah’s mind all those years ago. It really was a shame that it had ended so badly. ‘Sorry for the inquisition. You’ll get used to us.’

‘I’m enjoying myself,’ he said and grinned at Stella, who simply shook her head.

Reckless, foolish young people. Yes, it was Ava’s right to choose, and the big man with his beautiful, tired eyes was a lovely-looking specimen. Perhaps her daughter would risk withering in the city’s soulless world of money and mayhem for him. Maybe she’d be fine. But she’d have to work in the fast lane of transient patients in a busy Sydney hospital or be stuck home alone with kids while he did his thing.