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The family were climbing it on this perfect day. It was the first time they'd left her alone since they'd got here, and what a job she'd had persuading them that she'd be quite all right.

It had been good, though, always having somebody there for her. It stopped her thinking and wondering what was happening in Salchester. The Mellings would have got home from their cruise weeks ago...

With a muttered exclamation Yona hoisted herself off the lounger and strolled across the grass to lean on the low stone boundary wall and look down on the charming township of Brodick, strung out round the bay.

Down at the terminal the ferry was disgorging a seemingly never-ending stream of cars and lorries so it must be half past one. The ferry was always amazingly punctual, despite making the double crossing of the Firth of Clyde five times daily at this time of the year.

Yona supposed she ought to think about some lunch, but there was never any sense of haste in Arran—that was the secret of its peace. So she watched until the pride of the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet had taken on as many vehicles as it had brought and headed back towards its mainland port of Ardrossan. Then she wandered indoors at last to make a sandwich.

She had sliced and buttered some bread and was rummaging in the fridge for a filling when she heard steps on the gravel path, followed by a knock at the door. She shut the fridge and went to answer, thinking, The postie's very late today.

She opened the door and sagged against the lintel, gasping. It wasn't the postman but Mike standing there on the path, feet apart and looking determined. 'I had to come,' he said urgently. 'I couldn't stand it any longer...' His voice tailed off. It was his turn to stare now—at her once glorious hair, now thin and lustreless after all she'd been through. 'Oh, dear God, Yona,' he breathed. 'Whatever's the matter?'

'Ted broke his promise,' she said, because that was the only explanation. 'And I begged him not to tell.'

'Tell what? He doesn't know I'm here.'

'If he didn't tell you then why
are
you here—if it's not to pity me?'

He half reached towards her then dropped his hands in a gesture of despair. 'For God's sake, Yona, tell me what's wrong!' he pleaded in such obvious distress that she had to believe he knew nothing of her trouble.

She kept her explanation as brief as possible. 'I'd been getting headaches and they found a small benign tumour. Sarcoid,' she said over his gasp of horror. 'I've had radiotherapy and I'm on steroids and it's working.'

'You're not just saying that, are you? You really are on the mend?' he implored.

'Yes—there was barely a trace of it on the last scan.'

'Oh, thank God...' He pulled himself together and asked if he could come in.

'Yes, of course...' Yona turned and led the way into the homely sitting room. 'But why are you here? I mean, if you really didn't know?'

'It wasn't pity that brought me,' he said jerkily. 'It was sheer bloody misery! I had to see you—to try to—to put things right.'

'And you honestly didn't know I was ill?' She had to be absolutely sure about that.

'I didn't know. I thought you'd gone on holiday as planned. Then when you didn't come back and Ted got a locum in, he told us that you were on extended leave, taking stock. That made a sort of sense and I waited as patiently as I could...

'But when your job was finally advertised and lie had to tell us you weren't coming back I felt as if I'd been pole-axed! If you didn't come back, how could we ever...? It took me several days to arrange to get away. I went straight to your parents' house in Edinburgh and found it all shut up. The next-door neighbour refused to tell me where you were so I went to the Southern General and got this address from your father's secretary—with the help of an orthopod I'd met once or twice.'

'You're very resourceful,' she remarked quietly, which wasn't easy with a heart rate that was now too fast to be counted.

'No—desperate,' he insisted. 'Quite desperate. I'd meant to try and talk you round when you came back, but when I heard you'd gone for good...I was
desperate.

'You can make all the rules,' he said next. 'Do whatever you want—any way you want—I don't care. Just as long as you'll have me.' His voice was cracking. 'I can't live without you,' he whispered brokenly. 'And that's the truth.'

Despite her joy, she had to say, 'Look at me, Mike. No hair to speak of and all plumped-up like a hamster with the steroids…'

But he was looking at her now with eyes so full of yearning that she felt dizzy with delight. 'I love you,' he said in a voice that shook with emotion. 'I love you. And if you don't love me—don't want me...' He turned his head sharply away so that she wouldn't see he was crying. 'I don't think I can go on. You're everything...' He could say no more.

Yona went to him and put her arms round him, and the feel of his lean hard body in her arms again was magic after all the weeks of sorrow and pain. 'I know,' she whispered. 'It's like that with me, too.'

They stood there a long time, holding one another ever closer. Then Mike said, 'I mean it, Yona. I'll never try to influence you again. The result was—just too terrifying.'

'You're such a dear, kind, good man,' she murmured. 'Always so fair and understanding in everything else. Why were you so determined to make me over into something I'm fairly sure I'm not?'

She thought he would never answer and then he said gently, 'You were so dedicated, so keen on your work— and so damn good at it! But I realise now the likeness ended there.'

'Likeness to whom, dearest?'

'My mother,' he said bleakly. 'She only ever came home to sleep, and left us altogether when I was fourteen. A highly paid job in London meant more to her than her son and her decent, hardworking but unambitious husband. I swore then that no child of mine would ever have to ensure such a life!'

'I understand now,' she said softly. 'I just wish you'd told me sooner. Dear, I never believed I could have it all, but I did love my work and I needed to let go of it gradually, bit by bit—as family life required. Because you and our children would always, always be first with me. Listen now, I'm going to tell you something else...'

She stood on tiptoe to kiss him and rub her cheek against his and then she whispered in his ear about not understanding her symptoms and thinking she was pregnant.

'Pregnant!' he echoed. 'But why didn't you tell me?'

She'd guessed he'd say that. 'What—and put you under pressure. Never!'

'I know it's never been easier, but surely you didn't... Oh, Yona, tell me you didn't intend to—'

'Have a termination? No, I'd never have done that— never!' she cried passionately. 'It was crazy, irrational as things were, but I was glad about it, you hear? I was glad! And I'd have died before I'd have parted with our baby. And when I knew I wasn't pregnant and it was all down to the tumour, I felt cheated. Robbed. So now you know I'm not like your mother—don't you?' she ended.

'I certainly do—and I can't tell you how happy you've made me by sharing that with me. Now what's wrong?' he asked tenderly as her expressive face clouded over again.

'It's not certain, but there is just a chance...after the tumour and everything... I may not be able to...' She just couldn't say it.

Mike folded her close against his heart. 'If we have children, fine. If not, so be it. We've tried living without each other and that's just not on, is it?'

'It certainly is not,' she agreed fervently, as the crunch of several pairs of heavy boots on the gravel path announced the return of the MacFarlane clan.

'Is that my family back already?' She just couldn't believe it. 'I thought they'd be hours yet.'

Mike let her go in order to straighten his jacket and adjust his tie. 'Supposing they don't like me, Yona?' he asked apprehensively.

'Why wouldn't they? I do,' she said, smiling. 'Besides, in my delicate state of health they'd never want to upset me!'

He slid an arm around her waist again. 'I was right— you
are
a witch,' he was saying fondly as his future in-laws trooped in.

They took in the situation at a glance and came forward, smiling broadly.