Page 96 of Sunrise over Strawberry Hill Farm

Flora was stunned, trying to take in what her grandmother was telling her.

‘At one time, Lorenzo and I hoped you and Nico might end up together,’ carried on Grams. ‘Why do you think I invited him to stay? I hoped, we all did, that the two of you might…’ Her voice trailed off.

Flora suddenly remembered something. ‘The letter Lorenzo sent you with the shawl?’ she asked.

Grams nodded. ‘He asked me to keep an eye out for Nico. Said that his father was hopeless and if we could give Nico a home, then he would sleep at peace.’

‘But we did all that and he’s leaving anyway,’ said Flora, a pain piercing her heart.

‘Not if you ask him to stay.’

Flora looked at her grandmother, the tears pricking her eyes.

‘Together you can get through everything that life throws at you. Much like those two, I reckon,’ said Grams, gesturing at Harriet and Joe, who were standing nearby on their own. ‘They’re two parts of the same heart.’

Flora followed her gaze but didn’t really register what was happening, such was her mind churning over what she had been told. So it wasn’t until Joe suddenly bent down on one knee that she, and everyone else, realised what was happening and gave a little gasp.

‘Harriet, will you marry me?’ asked Joe, his voice a little wobbly as the nerves obviously kicked in.

But he needn’t have worried. ‘Yes! A thousand times yes! Of course I will!’ squealed Harriet, dragging him up off his knees to fling her arms around him.

Everyone rushed over to congratulate the happy couple. Flora didn’t think she’d ever seen Harriet look happier, wear such a wide smile. She was pleased for her friend. She had found the other half of her coin, just like Grams had said.

She spotted Nico in the crowd and they looked at each other, the hubbub around them carrying on despite the unsaid words they exchanged with their eyes.

She reminded herself that he was leaving and broke the eye contact, beginning to move away. But a hand caught hers and she turned back to find Grams studying her.

‘My dear girl, a sensible life is all very well, but it’s not a full one,’ she said softly. ‘Go, live your dreams. Wherever they lead you.’

Then as the congratulations grew louder, Flora suddenly found that she couldn’t bear it. That she wanted so much to have what Harriet had been blessed with.

So she turned away from everyone to speak to Nico but found her path blocked.

She stared at Tyler aghast. He was on one knee, kneeling down in front of her.

‘Flora Barton, will you marry me?’ he asked.

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Flora was completely stunned as she stared down at Tyler, who was still kneeling in front of her.

She glanced around and, yes, everyone was staring at them. Her eyes caught Nico’s for a moment before he turned away. Then she looked back down at Tyler.

‘Get up,’ she said softly.

Tyler looked confused. ‘Really?’

‘Yes,’ she told him, taking a deep breath.

He stood up and looked at her. ‘Flora Barton, would you…?’

‘Stop!’ she said, holding up her hand to interrupt him before taking his hand and leading him away from everyone. Once they were apart from the main group, Flora shook her head at him. ‘You don’t want to do this,’ she said softly. ‘Firstly, you’re stealing their thunder.’ She glanced over at Harriet and Joe, who were still hand in hand watching them. ‘This is their time.’

Tyler looked downcast.

‘Second, you’re not proposing to me because you love me,’ she carried on. ‘You just think we could be a great team on the farm. And I love having you as a friend. But nothing more. I’m sorry if I muddled things for you and the last thing I wanted to do was hurt you.’

Tyler nodded slowly.