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Tash carried in a tray of glasses, Gareth followed with champagne and Annabelle brought popcorn.

My mother, Bella, Marcia, Meg and Stephen were already sitting in front of the large television in the sitting room of Harbour House.

Also with us were Lucy and Kit Williams and their three children over from Helwyn House.

During the past two years Lucy had become a friend as I spent more and more time with Rory.

Rory was organising the champagne while I stepped outside, calling Bastard and waving a treat to get her attention.

It was a stand-off but the programme on Katherine Forster was on in three minutes, and even for Bastard I wasn’t going to miss it.

Of course, I’d seen snippets already and watched other parts being recorded, plus I was in it. It had been a whirlwind.

I caught sight of the glimmer of a golden eye under a rose bush. Opening the disgusting tube of cat yoghurt, I bent low to waft the foul scent closer to the wild beast. Reluctantly Bastard was drawn to the lure of the treat, and I scooped her up before she could complain.

Once I was back in the sitting room, we managed a quick group picture with glasses held aloft in a toast to Katherine, Sheba and Viv before we settled in to watch the hour-long programme, which had us all sni?ing at the end.

Rory’s final words spoke of the journey he’d been on and the importance of getting the story right.

He referenced his previous programme on Simon Forster and emphasised that mistakes could easily be made.

He drew attention to the fact that Anonymous was often a woman who couldn’t write as herself, as Virginia Woolf had said.

Then he added that it was a sad fact that women chose to operate anonymously, but that this was better than having a man taking credit for the words or the painting or the work in general.

He cautioned everyone, especially himself, to look carefully, not to jump to conclusions like he had.

Only then, he said, might we be lucky enough to actually see what was in front of us and hear the story properly.

‘That was fabulous.’ Bella stood. ‘Thank you all for setting the record straight.’ She laughed. ‘Or should I say setting it queer, as my mother was definitely bi and Sheba was gay.’

Tash raised her glass. ‘Here’s to using our words more carefully.’

We all toasted.

‘Time to get these two home,’ said Marcia. ‘Don’t want to be told off for bringing them back drunk.’ She kissed my cheek before bundling my mother and Bella into the car to take them back to the assisted living facility where they were neighbours.

Lucy moved across to sit next to me. ‘Tonight was a triumph in so many ways.’

‘It was. I’m so proud of what Rory has done in . . . correcting the record.’

She looked at me. ‘He said he never would have seen what was right in front of his eyes if it weren’t for you and your intuition.’

I laughed. ‘He would have seen it eventually.’

‘You’re good for him.’ She got up and began to collect empty glasses.

‘He’s good for me.’ I caught Rory’s glance from across the room, where he and Gareth were chatting.

‘Rory’s greatest strength is his loyalty.’ She tucked an empty bottle under her arm. ‘And for a while I thought it would be his undoing.’

I grabbed a few glasses. ‘I don’t understand.’

‘He loved my aunt, and until you, I didn’t think he’d ever allow love into his life again.’

‘Oh.’ I looked across at the profile of the man who had been so patient with me.

‘Thank you for bringing him out of his grief and back to life.’

My heart was filled with love, and when he turned and sent me a half-smile, I could barely breathe. ‘I think it might be the other way around.’

Lucy laughed. ‘Well, that works too. I love having him this close. Bella told me tonight how happy she is that he bought the house.’

‘She has no family and she really wanted it to go to someone who would love it.’ She had even given him the portrait of Katherine because she said it belonged here at the house and was far too big for her new flat.

Lucy looked around the room, which still contained the sculpture of Bastard and many of the original furnishings and paintings, but now also held new things, like the large-screen TV and a sound system more up to date than the old gramophone in the corner.

On evening and weekends, we had between us sanded, repaired and repainted every corner of the house and the studios.

Stephen had been a star with the furniture.

He really did have a knack for restoring.

Harbour House had a new lease of life, with Bastard still ruling over it despite her advancing years.

‘Now I need to get my lot home, as the kids have a sailing lesson in the morning.’ Lucy headed off to round up her family. I took the empties to the kitchen, where Tash joined me.

‘Well, Kerensa Barton, this all looks pretty good to me.’ She nodded towards a picture of me that Rory had stuck on the fridge.

‘Yes, it’s good.’ A glow of happiness began inside me.

‘Hmm, you need to trust me when I say a man fancies you.’

I laughed. ‘Maybe.’

‘Well I’ll take that, because I’m thrilled to have my bestie back in town!’

‘Me too.’ I hugged her.

Gareth walked into the kitchen holding his daughter’s hand.

‘This one has had a sugar high and is about to collapse. It’s time to go.’

‘Sorry to leave you with this.’ Tash waved her hand.

‘No worries. It was a great celebration.’

‘It was.’ She raised her glass, which still had a sip in it. ‘To Katherine, Sheba and Viv.’ She knocked it back.

‘It’s a good thing I’m driving,’ Gareth said, giving Tash a kiss.

Rory walked with me out to the drive to see them off. Bastard came and sat beside us. ‘Is there any fizz left?’ he asked.

‘Hmm, a good half-bottle.’ I said, tucking my arm in his as we walked back into the house.

‘Shall we sit outside and enjoy the night?’

‘Good plan.’ We collected the fizz and two glasses. Bastard joined us as we stood in the darkness fragranced with roses and jasmine.

Lights along the coast gleamed, and the sky was full of stars. Rory stood by the stone wall and I joined him.

‘Magic,’ he said.

‘It is.’ I poured the champagne and handed him a glass.

‘Thank you.’

I leaned into his side, enjoying his warmth.

‘I could say the same.’ His breath caressed my temple.

I turned to him and looked him directly in the eyes. ‘After all that happened, I didn’t think I could be this happy.’

‘I didn’t think I could love again.’

I gasped.

‘I love you and have from the minute I saw you.’ He took my champagne from my hand and put both glasses down on the wall. ‘From that moment all I could think about was you.’

‘It was pretty much the same for me, though it shouldn’t have been.’

He ran his thumb across my cheek, sending shivers through me. ‘I’m not going to even address that.’

I kissed him. ‘I love you too, and thank you for being patient with me.’

He laughed. ‘Trying to get you to say yes to a date was worse than getting a racehorse into a starting gate.’

‘You know all about racehorses?’ Under my hand I felt his heart beating.

‘As a matter of fact . . .’

I kissed him again. ‘Show-off.’

He dug in his pocket and pulled out a box. ‘I saw this when I was in London last week and hoped I’d find the right time . . .’

I couldn’t breathe as he opened the box. In the moonlight the art deco diamond ring shimmered.

‘But I think now might be good.’ He paused, getting down on one knee. ‘I am unmade, love has disassembled me, to parts, only you can make me whole.’ His eyes met mine.

Katherine’s words to Sheba coming from Rory. I couldn’t breathe.

‘Will you marry me?’

‘Yes.’

He took my hand in his and slipped the ring on my finger.

‘My father always said that every object has a story to tell.’

‘Did he?’ Rory asked, rising to his feet.

‘He did. What story does this ring have to tell?’ I asked.

‘I don’t know its past, but I hope it will tell of a future filled with love.’ He kissed me.

‘Me too,’ I said, feeling breathless.

‘Kerensa, my love, you have my heart.’

‘You have mine,’ I whispered. ‘Always.’

Bastard yowled as she sat on the wall, watching us with something like a smile on her face.