The Summer of Secrets
Page 34
It still spun Chloe out at times that her life had taken such a one-eighty-degree turn, bringing her so far from Jason and the Coogee flat and the hectic pace of Girl Talk.
‘And you’re happy, darling, aren’t you?’ her mother had asked, when Chloe had rung last week, with her exciting news about the baby.
‘I am, Mum, truly, truly happy,’ Chloe had assured her, as she had previously at Easter, when she, Finn and Bree had travelled to Sydney for a meeting with the Browns that had gone, to her relief, quite seamlessly. Like a patchwork square added to a quilt, another little corner of Chloe’s life had felt settled.
Now, as she tidied her desk, preparing to leave, a knock sounded on the office door. ‘Chloe!’
Tammy was there, wide-eyed with excitement.
‘You’ve escaped early,’ Chloe said with a smile. Tammy was nearly always working late, squeezing in one last customer.
‘Gina French’s colour needs five more minutes. So I popped out to tell you. I couldn’t wait. I did the test at lunch time.’
Chloe grinned. ‘And?’
‘Two blue lines!’ Tammy announced, adding a triumphant squeal and a fist punch into the air.
‘Oh, Tams!’ Leaping out of her chair, Chloe rushed to hug her friend. ‘That’s fantastic. The best. I’m so happy for you.’
‘Yeah. So we’re going to be yummy mummies together.’
Chloe laughed. ‘With Jess and Willow, and Alice Drummond and her new little Jasper, we’ll have enough to form a playgroup.’ Her thoughts were already racing ahead, imagining the playdough and finger painting and daisy chains and morning tea with her girlfriends. Simple pleasures she had once feared she might never enjoy.
‘Anyway, I’d better dash back to Gina,’ Tammy said. ‘But I wanted you to be the first to know. After Ben, of course. Oh, my God, you should see him puffing out his chest like he’s won an Olympic gold medal.’
With a grin and a wave, Tammy was off and as she darted back down the footpath, the Forester drew into the curb. From the doorway, Chloe watched Finn emerge from the car. He smiled his special smile, just for her, and a slow wave of happiness rolled through her.
The summer’s evening was glowing, soft and dusky gold, casting gentle shadows. This was her favourite time of day, when the world was washed in beauty and she was going home with Finn. With a satisfied sigh, she closed the door and walked towards him.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I dedicated this book to you, my readers, because you are truly important to me. Storytellers have always needed someone to ‘listen’, and I imagine you in all the different circumstances that life throws at us, taking time out to slip into another world, just as I do when I read. Some of you have taken the trouble to email me, or to make contact via Facebook, or to write a review, and for that I am exceptionally grateful. Your messages and your thoughtfulness are my inspiration. To those readers I’ve never ‘met’, just knowing you’re out there is enough to get me started on yet another story.
As with every book, my husband, Elliot, was incredibly helpful while I wrote The Summer of Secrets. This time, his role was especially inspirational, as he has also been an editor on a country town newspaper and this was a story I’ve been wanting to write for some time.
My fictional town of Burralea is modelled on the real-life town of Yungaburra on the Atherton Tablelands, and I’m grateful to the Yungaburra community, who take such pride in keeping their beautiful village picture perfect for all to enjoy.
I’d also like to thank Judith Ryan, who has served with the Australian Defence Force, and helped me to make sure that important story details were accurate.
Special thanks are also due to Ali Watts for her perceptive guidance, to Nikki Lusk for her keen editorial eye, and to the rest of the team at Penguin Random House: Amanda Martin, Nerrilee Weir, Jo Baker, Ali Hampton, Emily Cook and Chloe Davies.
BOOK CLUB NOTES
Chloe is devastated when Jason asks: ‘What makes you think you’d be such a great mother?’ How are the different perspectives on parenthood and its challenges explored throughout the novel?
What do you think are important qualities in a parent? Does this story perhaps ask whether any of us really knows?
Several characters are impacted by grief. Who are they and how are their steps towards healing revealed?
Bree’s story is told mostly through her diary extracts. Discuss other novels where letters and diaries play a major role.
At a very early age, Izzie learns to put on a brave face. What were the circumstances that caused this? How did her courage and her British ‘stiff upper lip’ affect her relationships with others?
What, if anything did you know of the women who flew huge bombers for the Air Transport Auxiliary during World War II? Do you think they deserve wider recognition?
The author paints an idyllic picture of life in a small country town. Do you think this is realistic? Do you imagine Finn and Chloe staying in Burralea after Bree finishes school?
The history of Emily and Alex’s relationship is told in reverse. Do you think this is an effective literary device?
Why do you think this book is called The Summer of Secrets? Discuss the many secrets the story contains. Are some secrets more justified than others?
Discuss the similarities between this novel and other books by Barbara Hannay.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A former English teacher, Barbara Hannay is a city-bred girl with a yen for country life. Many of her forty-plus books are set in rural and outback Australia and have been enjoyed by readers around the world. She has won the RITA, awarded by Romance Writers of America, and has twice won the Romantic Book of the Year award in Australia. In her own version of life imitating art, Barbara and her husband currently live on a misty hillside in beautiful Far North Queensland where they keep heritage pigs and chickens and an untidy but productive garden.
barbarahannay.com
ALSO AVAILABLE FROM PENGUIN BOOKS
Zoe’s Muster
Home Before Sundown
Moonlight Plains
The Secret Years
The Grazier’s Wife
The Country Wedding
PRAISE FOR BARBARA HANNAY’S BESTSELLERS
‘It’s a pleasure to follow an author who gets better with every book. Barbara Hannay delights with this cross-generational love story, which is terrifically romantic and full of surprises.’
APPLE IBOOKS, ‘BEST BOOKS OF THE MONTH’
‘Barbara Hannay has delivered another wonderful book … For me no one does emotional punch quite like Barbara Hannay.’
HELENE YOUNG
‘Gripping tale of outback romance … Her most epic novel to date.’
QUEENSLAND COUNTRY LIFE
‘Lovers of romance will enjoy this feel-good read. Hannay captures the romantic spirit of the outback perfectly.’
TOWNSVILLE BULLETIN
‘Get your hands on a copy of this book and you will not be disappointed.’
WEEKLY TIMES
‘Barbara Hannay has delivered a fantastic story with beautiful characters and a lovely backdrop.’
1 GIRL 2 MANY BOOKS
‘An engaging story of joy, tragedy, romance and heartache set within the dusty landscape of the Australian outback.’
BOOK’D OUT
‘In beautiful, fluid prose, Hannay once again puts together all the ingredients for a real page-turner.’
THE CHRONICLE
‘Everything a romantic reader could want … A brilliant piece of work.’
NEWCASTLE HERALD
‘Bound to become a new favourite.’
THE AGE
‘A breathtaking read. Once again, Barbara Hannay manages to knock this reader over with a feather.’
TALKING BOOKS
‘Barbara Hannay writes beautiful visuals of rural and remote Australia … This is a remarkable book.’
READING, WRITING AND RIESLING
MICHAEL JOSEPH
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Penguin Books is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com.
First published by Penguin Random House Australia Pty Ltd, 2018
Text copyright © Barbara Hannay, 2018
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
Cover design by Louisa Maggio © Penguin Random House Australia Pty Ltd
Cover photographs: woman by Nikki Smith/Arcangel; landscape by Mark Owen/Trevillion Images and Sommai/Shutterstock; bottlebrush by Myszka/Shutterstock
ISBN 9780143783510
penguin.com.au
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