—goodreads, Pin’s Reviews

Other Bella Books by Virginia Hale

Echo Point

Where There’s a Will

About the Author

Virginia Hale lives in Sydney, Australia. After a brief dalliance with Theatre Studies, she went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Master of Children’s Literature. Virginia’s debut novel, Echo Point, was a recipient of the 2018 Golden Crown Literary Society Award for Best Contemporary Romance (Short).

Copyright © 2019 by Virginia Hale

Bella Books, Inc.

P.O. Box 10543

Tallahassee, FL 32302

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

First Bella Books Edition 2019

eBook released 2019

Editor: Cath Walker

Cover Designer: Judith Fellows

ISBN: 978-1-64247-043-7

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

Acknowledgments

Endless thanks to my editor, Cath Walker, whose patience knows no bounds. Cath, your guidance makes me feel like the luckiest writer in the world. To the dedicated team at Bella Books, thank you for your encouragement and support.

Chapter One

“Is something wrong, Kate?”

Kate pulled her gaze from the approaching ferry and looked to the passenger seat of the convent van parked at the pier. She forced a smile for Sister Ruth. “Nothing’s wrong.” Lying to a nun—that’s a surefire way to get a one-way ticket to Hell. She removed her black frames and buffed the lenses on the crushed shirttails of her white button-up. “It’s just that I still have so much lesson prep for this week. I’ve been so busy trying to get everything together for the VCE Literature Extension class I’m job-sharing with Tilly that I haven’t even started my lesson plan for VCE Music Performance.” She fogged the glass with her breath and rubbed at the persisting streaks. “You know what it’s like when the girls come back from holidays—I’ll barely have a second to myself to think.”

Kate pushed her glasses up her nose, the emerald hills of Mornington Peninsula suddenly much clearer in the distance. Remarkably, the nine-thirty passenger ferry was making perfect time as it tugged across Port Phillip Bay from Mornington Pier, headed straight for Lords Island. The sight of the small, coffee-coloured vessel left Kate’s palms clammy, her hands shakier than when she’d woken at seven to make up the guest room bed for St. Joan’s imminent guest. She bit back a sigh. Contrary to what she was selling—contrary to what Sister Ruth had too easily bought—Kate’s nervousness was completely unrelated to the return of three hundred students to the island within the next forty-eight hours.