EPILOGUE

Eighteen months later, there was an heir to the Coulsdon-Hart name, with Cecily and Edward the enormously proud parents and Jack clearly already a favourite uncle. With the pressure off to marry the ‘right’ woman, and a very frank and what had, surprisingly to Jack, turned out to be emotional meeting with his parents, when all the pent-up feelings of years gone by poured out, there had been a clearing of the air and finally a fresh breeze had swept through the family home.

Jack had agreed that, when the time came, he would accept the title, but that Edward and Cecily would take over the family home and he would continue to live at his own marital home, Meadow Blossom House.

Whilst initially we’d planned for a small wedding, when Jack had proposed on my fortieth birthday with a breathtakingly beautiful ring to match the necklace he’d given me for the premiere, the plans had grown. To our surprise, we had both embraced them, finally accepting that after years of us hiding in our own ways, we wanted to celebrate our hard fought for love with as many people as wanted to be a part of it. I’d had a couple of wobbles at the thought of all those people focusing on us, but when it came to the moment of walking down the aisle, Felix beside me, all I saw was the man I loved waiting for me, looking far too handsome to be standing in a house of God.

Jack’s business had gone from strength to strength and the gold medal he and Sanjid had gained at the Chelsea Flower Show recently only cemented its reputation. He still worked from the garden studio, and I still worked in my study, but, when he was home, we would meet up for lunch and then walk Clive together in the evening.

Clive was still our soppy, smiley, beautiful companion. I didn’t know now how I’d ever managed without him and knew I didn’t want to. So, instead, I focused on what I had, and what I had was perfect.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This is a book that had been planned for the previous year, but due to personal circumstances, I was unable to focus on it, so my thanks first of all goes to the incredible team at Boldwood Books. They allowed me to just write the book as and when I felt ready with absolutely no pressure which was just what I needed. Best. Publisher. Ever.

Special thanks goes to my lovely editor, Sarah Ritherdon, for her comments upon reading the first draft which made my year, let alone my week. Thank you! And also for her insistence on having Clive on the cover. Perfect call.

Thanks to all my writing pals who understand what this mad, brilliant, frustrating and rewarding writing life is all about from the inside. Also massive hugs to those special non-writing friends who know who they are.

And thank you, of course, to James, for all the stuff. LYLM.