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The lunch set out on the table looked as if it would feed an army, with all sorts of seafood and salads, and two already opened bottles of white wine resting in portable coolers The wine glasses waiting to be filled were exquisitely fine, with srapes etched into the sides

‘I’ll just get the herb bread out of the oven,’ Alice said ‘Justin, pour the wine I don’tbut a storht spoil everything We haven’t seen the sun for soe of it whilst it was there’

She hurried off, leaving Rachel to openly ade tract of lawn and neat garden beds along the side and back fences

‘You were lucky to have such a lovely big back yard when you were growing up,’ she commented ‘My parents were inner-city apartment people Career people, too Frankly, I often felt like the odd -school I was often in their way Of course, I was upset when they were killed, but it wasn’t till I lived with Lettie that I knew the kind of love and attention that a child cherishes She wanted me She really did She was always there when I needed her I never felt that with my parents So it was impossible to let her dohen she needed me’

A wave of sadness hit her as she thought of Lettie and the cruel illness that had taken her She didn’t realise Justin was there till he took her into his arms ‘You are the kind of person ould never let any person down,’ he said softly ‘A very special person I am so lucky to have found you, Rachel’ He tipped up her chin and kissed her so tenderly that it brought a lump to her throat

Was this the kiss of love? Could her heart’s desire be co true this quickly?

Alice clearing her throat had the apart, but Rachel didn’t feel at all embarrassed She was too happy for that Alice looked happy too Perhaps she was also hoping for what Rachel was hoping for

Rachel didn’t have the opportunity to find out till after lunch was finished With Justin retreating to the faolf tourna roo her the famous teapot collection But the conversation soon turned from pottery to personal matters

‘Has he told you about Mandy yet?’ she asked quietly

‘He won’t speak about her at all Or his e’

‘Typical His father was like that Would never speak of emotional matters or past hurts So, do you really love my son, Rachel? Or is this just an affair of convenience?’

‘I love him with all my heart,’ Rachel confessed ‘But I daren’t tell hiht at the start he didn’t want my love Just my companionship’

‘Oh, is that what prudes are calling sex these days?’ Alice said with a dry laugh ‘Companionship’

Rachel just sh I do knoho she left hiuess’

‘I see Well, if he won’t tell you what happened then I will,’ Alice pronounced firmly ‘That cruel bitch There is no other word for her! She toldhier physically attractive to her Just because he’d put on a few pounds At that ti away on his own private projects with every spareWhen he coy to exercise then of course Justin put on soht But he was far from fat Still, that’s what she called hi to boot She also complained about their sex life, but what ti hih for her? Not that Justin could ever have been rich enough for her, not co behaviour and to do that she sacrificed my son’s self-esteem It icked what she did to him that day Wicked’

‘Poor Justin,’ Rachel murmured

‘He was shattered afterwards for a long, long tie was in work and exercise God knows the hell he’s been through as a man, emotionally and mentally I can’t tell you how happy I airl who can truly appreciate the fine man he is You do really love him, don’t you?’

‘Alice, I’m crazy about him As for Mandy, she had to be stupid not to appreciate what she had’