A Cornish Stranger (27 page)

‘OK, that explains the terrible timing. There was so much drama.'

‘I'm sorry about that. It was not the way I planned it.'

Gabe took a deep breath, then looked at Fin. Her whole body tightened. ‘Thank you for not talking about Dietrich.'

‘There are some things they don't need to know, but you did.'

Gabe frowned. ‘Thank you.'

He stepped round the coffee table and moved closer to Gabe. She held her breath. ‘Fin,' she whispered.

‘Yes?' He stopped inches away from her.

‘Why are you here?'

‘I needed to see you.' His eyes were so intent.

‘Oh.' Gabe couldn't look away and his mouth hovered just above hers. ‘Anything else?'

‘I missed you.' His lips touched hers on the corner of her mouth. ‘I haven't been able to think of anything but you.' He kissed her lightly, still holding himself apart from her. ‘I needed to know if you might feel the same.'

Gabe took his hand in hers and pulled him to her, closing the gap between them. ‘Yes, I do.'

 

 

 

 

 

Epilogue

 

 

 

 

T
here wasn't a cloud to be seen in the July sky.
Jezebel
rocked on the gentle swell with Fin at the tiller. Gabe stood and kissed Fin, her engagement ring glittering in the sunlight as she held the small jar. Most of Jaunty's ashes were buried in the grave with Gabe's parents, but she hadn't been able to let go of the feeling that her grandmother belonged at sea with Alex.

‘This looks like a good spot.' As Fin pressed the CD player she could see Alex's ring on his finger and she knew Jaunty would approve. The opening notes of the aria she would be performing at tomorrow's premiere of
The Lovers
travelled across the boat. Gabe began singing and as she came to the words

 

I am thine,

Thou art mine,

Beyond control;

 

In the wave,

Be the grave

Of heart and soul

 

Fin's hand joined hers and they spread the last of Jaunty's ashes across the water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acknowledgements

 

 

 

As with every book there are many people who help make it happen. Without the expertise of Adam Temple-Smith I would have no idea about the life of an opera singer, let alone the life of a student in training. He has patiently answered my endless questions on arias and breathing. Caroline Macworth-Praed and Jacky Kellet have provided me with technical advice when I would have chosen the wrong music or used the wrong vocabulary.

Clare Mackintosh and Dr Kate Gearing saved me with their professional knowledge. I am indebted to the wonderful Myra Fraser for sharing her memories of coming to Helford as a young mother in the early years after the war. I'd also like to thank my German editor Almuth Andreae for her helpful insights, and my sister-in-law, Deborah Barton, for advice on colours.

Without Brigid Coady I would go insane. She listens, reads and cajoles me through the writing process. As in the past the lovely Julia Hayward fights her way through my dyslexic typos and provides vital feedback. A huge shout of thanks goes to Sarah Callejo whose laser-sharp insights and encouraging words buoyed me up when I needed it most. The Romantic Novelist Association continues to provide me with support and friendship.

Thank you to Jasper Falk for his generous bid in the silent charity auction for Icknield School, a school for children with severe learning disabilities, to have a character named after a person of his choice.

A special note of thanks to Andrew Fenwick for his proofreading and for putting his A* in A level History to good use.

I want to thank my agent Carole Blake, who is wise, patient and makes the best gin and tonic around. The whole team at Orion are wonderful, but my editor Kate Mills always pulls the best out of me even when I don't think it will happen.

My daily chats with my father keep the world in perspective and my mother keeps me grounded with her prayers. My poor family puts up with me dragging them off to concerts, trailing them through churches and graveyards, and subjecting them to strange playlists. I am forever asking them random questions when my thoughts clearly haven't been with them, but with my characters. I am the frequent cause of great embarrassment when I mention my books or quiz some stranger about their lives. I would be lost without their love and support, especially that of my husband, Chris.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

 

 

 

 

Bosworgy, the cabin in
A Cornish Stranger
, is based on a cabin that exists and is owned by the National Trust. It is called Powders and was built by the marine artist Percy Cecil Thurnburn, called ‘Powder' by his friends. He built the cabin in 1930 after he had bought the land from the Tremayne Estate in 1920. It is his boat, the
Iron
Duke
, that can be seen rusting in the cove near the cabin.

 

I had tremendous fun discovering new music as well as revisiting old favourites for this book. I have compiled a Spotify list which you can find on my website, www.lizfenwick.com.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

 

 

 

 

Growing up in Boston, Liz discovered early on that her best friends could be books. While waiting on a place for Harvard, she moved to London to see if life looked different from the other side of the Atlantic. It did and she soon fell in love with an Englishman. Now happily married with three children, she spends as much time as possible at her home in Cornwall.

 

Find out
more at www.lizfenwick.com and follow Liz on T
witter @liz_fenwick

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also by Liz Fenwick

 

The Cornish House

A Cornish Affair

 

 

Copyright

 

AN ORION EBOOK

First published in Great Britain in 201
4
by Orion Books.

This ebook first published in 201
4
by Orion Books.

Copyright © Liz Fenwick 201
4

The right of Liz Fenwick to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All characters and events in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN
: 978 1 4091 4
825 8

Orion Books

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