Teagan found Lucas in the forge. The day was hot, the temperature even higher in the shed thanks to the burning furnace. He was pounding a piece of glowing steel, sparks exploding with every hit. Behind him, the furnace heat turned the air shimmery, as though something from an invisible realm was trying to push through, causing the space to swell and bend.

Lucas was wearing his blacksmithing clothes: leather apron, goggles slipped up on his head, long-sleeved shirt and jeans. Sweat soaked the cloth and streaked the sides of his cheeks. He rippled with sexy masculinity and the kind of grace unique to expert craftsmen. She propped against the door, where a little breeze cooled the moisture on her own back, to watch.

It had been a week since he’d held her hands in Astonville’s kitchen and asked her to trust him. She was trying, but the relation­ship had an eggshell fragility. Teagan found herself tiptoeing, not knowing how to act. Still ashamed of what she’d done and not understanding why he would want her to stay. The tension in her body refused to ease. Sometimes she’d halt and stare at nothing, her concentration inward, listening to the crazy whispers telling her it was all false. Dread would frost her skin. Her heart would thud and the effort of stopping herself from howling would make her throat swell and ache.

Lucas had caught her a few times and done his best to soothe her with promises that everything would be okay. Distracting her with his touch, his tender kisses, the intimacy of sex. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t real. That it was more to keep her craziness at bay than because of any deeper feeling he had for her.

Teagan’s relationship with Ness and her mother was even more fraught. It had taken her three days to summon the courage to return to Falls Farm and apologise again. An apology that was accepted by her mother with good grace, less so by Ness, who had been watchful and thin-lipped throughout. Though her aunt had called in each day since, she hadn’t invited Teagan once to stay for cocktails. In a way Teagan understood. Her record with alcohol wasn’t great, but it still hurt not to be included in what had become an anticipated and fun Falls Farm ritual when she’d resided there. Although not as hurtful as catching a glimpse of Lucas’s ute in the yard during cocktail hour when she’d driven past the following evening.

Work helped to keep her mind occupied, but even the most innocent of looks from Nick, Elsa, Bart or the other staff left her paranoid. She was sure they could all see through her carefully constructed facade. The constant anxiety was beginning to wear her down, which only added to her internal fear that one mistake would see her crack apart forever. Today, Nick had kept her at Belgravia well past her normal time to help set up another of his riding schools that was beginning the following day, leaving her even more fatigued and down.

Which is why it was nice to spend a few secret, tension-free moments watching Lucas.

He plunged the worked steel into a bucket. The resulting steam added to the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the shed. He pulled it out and inspected his workmanship, and grunted to himself.

‘Very cave man,’ said Teagan, wandering inside.

He grinned and waved the elegantly formed scroll. ‘Like it?’

She inspected it, aware of keeping her distance from the hot metal. She’d been around Lucas’s shed enough now to understand the safety requirements, and she liked watching him. It was one of the sexiest scenes imaginable. Earthy and elemental, and very, very masculine.

‘It’s lovely.’ She meant it. He’d made coarse metal into something artistic and beautiful. She pointed to where the tip twisted outwards, like a strange animal horn. ‘That looks dangerous.’

He screwed up his nose as he inspected it. ‘It probably is, but I like it.’

‘So do I. What’s it for?’

‘I was thinking of using it as decoration for a birdcage.’ He shrugged and placed the rod down. ‘Just an experiment. Have you had lunch?’

‘Not yet. I grabbed us some pies from the bakery. They’re in the oven.’

‘That must’ve been fun.’

Fun wasn’t the way Teagan would describe it. The moment she’d walked in, Kathleen Ferguson was on her. The Falls Union Progress Association was meeting that night. In secret. Kathleen Ferguson wanted her to come.

Teagan had greeted the invitation with suspicion, but the old lady was insistent, needling her with Penny’s illness, the way Dom was taking advantage of villagers who needed local employment. Buying loyalties and quashing disquiet with his sponsorship and false charm. A few weeks ago she would have brushed Kathleen off, but now Teagan didn’t have the strength. Plus she was curious.

‘Not exactly,’ she said in answer to Lucas’s question. ‘Mrs Ferguson kept me waiting so long I couldn’t avoid Col. It appears the rise in temperature has also brought a rise in Col’s shorts.’ She made a face. ‘What sort of man wears orange jocks?’

‘I have a pair of orange jocks.’

‘They’re trunks. And Col doesn’t fill his the way you do.’

Lucas’s expression took on that teasing look she adored. The one that signalled where his interest was heading. ‘And how’s that?’

‘Impressively.’

He shut down the furnace and began to strip off his apron.

‘I thought you were busy.’

The goggles went to the bench. He approached and stood in front of her, his body hot and shiny from heat and exertion. Closing her eyes, Teagan breathed him in. He smelled of metal and man. Of everything she longed for.

Of hope.

The Progress Association meeting was held in Kathleen Ferguson’s lounge, enabling her to chair with authority. Teagan sat at the back, working an edge of fingernail with her teeth, scrutinising the other arrivals with worry. Tony de Vitis sat beside her, whispering asides to make her laugh. He’d come out of curiosity as well, having been invited – in error – by an overexcited Col. Teagan was too nervous to do more than twitch a smile, afraid that someone would dob her in to Ness or Lucas. Tony had promised to keep mum. Whether he would remained to be seen.

For Ness, Teagan’s attendance would be just another disappointment, but for Lucas it would be a betrayal. She hadn’t lied as such. She’d simply gone out late that afternoon and not returned, hoping Lucas would assume she was visiting her mother. When he’d sent her a concerned text, she’d replied that she wanted a bit of time on her own, which had only resulted in a flurry of more worried texts. Now her phone was shut down to ward off any calls, the last message promising she was fine and that she’d be home around eight. A white lie that only made her feel sicker.

The invitees were crowded into a pristinely kept and decorated fifties-style lounge. Uncomfortable chrome-and-vinyl chairs had been brought in from the kitchen and it was on these that Teagan and Tony sat while others took the sofa, armchairs and tapestry pouffes. Kathleen Ferguson took position in a queenly pose in front of an ancient built-in oil heater, Col hovering sycophantically alongside. Faint blotches of yellow marked her cheek and chin, otherwise she appeared fully recovered from her assault.

According to gossip, the police had a suspect but were keeping tight-lipped as they continued the investigation, which made Teagan suspicious of another cover-up. Dom would do anything to protect his investment and with his development application before council, the timing was critical.

Besides Col and Tony, Teagan didn’t know anyone else, although she recognised Bunny’s frightening receptionist, Janice. Except for a younger woman, her belly swollen with mid-term pregnancy and appearing even more nervous than Teagan, most of the dozen or so people appeared eager.

The mantle clock behind Kathleen began to bong out its seven-pm chime. At the final stroke, Kathleen clapped her hands together. ‘Attention!’

Everyone sat up like an obedient primary-school class. Teagan half expected them to start chanting, ‘Good ev-en-ing, Miss-us Fer-gu-son.’

Their host gave a cold smile. ‘Welcome to the inaugural public meeting of the Falls Union Progress Association.’

‘Public, my arse,’ whispered Tony.

‘Thank you for coming. I understand for some of you this has posed some difficulty.’

Colin gave a significant nod. According to Tony, Col wanted the meeting held at his place, but his daughter, Maggie, had been made furious by the idea. That he was involved in the Fuckuppas was bad enough, holding an anti-Dom meeting on her property was going too far. She’d been so incensed she’d railed at him for a solid thirty minutes about bored old men with nothing to do except create mischief, ending the tirade with a threat to cut off his caravan power if he even thought of attending such a meeting. The encounter had left him severely rattled, but being far more afraid of Kathleen Ferguson than Maggie, and tizzied by all the drama, he’d come along anyway.

Ignoring Col’s puffed-out chest and martyred countenance, Kathleen began to point out others in her audience. ‘Antonio, I’m sure you’re worried about your business and how taking sides may upset some of your customers.’ The finger moved to the pregnant woman. ‘Carol, I appreciate your husband is a gardener at the centre and your presence could cause problems between you. Janice, given your boss’s friendliness with Vanessa and the centre’s proprietor, I imagine you have fears for your position.’ A claim that sounded rather odd when Bunny’s fierce assistant appeared to harbour anything but fear.

Kathleen continued on, pointing out each of her guests in turn and the risk they’d taken to be present. Finally it landed on Teagan. ‘No doubt your aunt would have something to say about your presence here, too, Teagan.’

Teagan shrivelled in her chair as everyone turned to look at her.

‘But we are fighting to keep our rural village free of riff-raff and drug addicts. Thanks to that centre we not only have our roads laden with ridiculous vehicles, sporting blacked-out windows and driven by eastern European gangsters, but a hideous fence hiding some of our most magnificent countryside from view. If that wasn’t enough, land that should be producing prime cattle is instead being kept for a coterie of rich, over-pampered starlets. Now the centre has brought crime to our peaceful village. Not petty thefts. Armed robberies and assaults. On defenceless elderly people such as myself.’

Murmurs went around the room. Heads bobbed in agreement. The fading bruises on Kathleen’s face seemed to take on a deeper, more sinister tinge. Colin was nodding like a bobble-headed toy.

She slammed her fist into her palm with a smack. ‘A line must be drawn.’

A chorus of hear-hears tumbled around the room.

‘I’m worried for our children,’ said the pregnant woman.

‘And our property values,’ said another.

Others joined in with their concerns. Tony sat back with his arms crossed, shaking his head and muttering about small-mindedness, but as Teagan listened to the complaints she began to wonder if some weren’t valid. Admittedly, Kathleen’s rant about gangsters and violent crime was completely over the top, but the other villagers appeared genuine in their concerns.

Kathleen held up her palms to shush the group. She scanned faces until her eyes found Teagan’s. ‘We’ve also had reports of people becoming ill from the centre’s quackery. Illnesses that were quickly covered up by Domenic Ashe’s public relations machine. More proof that the centre serves only one purpose: to make its callous owner richer than he already is. He has no feelings for his clients, just as he has no feelings for this precious village.’

‘He’s sponsoring the cricket club,’ called Tony. ‘Pretty generously too.’

Kathleen’s gaze turned arctic. ‘A ploy. Propaganda, like the Nazis used.’

Teagan blinked. Tony let out a snort. A few of the others shifted uncomfortably.

The pregnant woman put her hand up. ‘I don’t think Domenic Ashe is a Nazi.’ She glanced to her side for support. ‘I mean, that’s a bit . . . you know.’

Kathleen ploughed on. Dissenters weren’t to be tolerated. ‘He is a man of great means and we are but simple villagers. We must be alert for schemes to break our alliance. And watchful of moles.’ With the word she threw a meaningful glance at Tony and then the pregnant woman, who coloured deeply. ‘And root them out. If we are to defeat this man, we need to maintain a war footing.’

‘Santo cielo,’ muttered Tony, rolling his eyes heavenward, ‘Now she’s channelling Churchill.’

‘The Falls was once a community. Now a divide has split us.’ Kathleen raised a fist. ‘We must return to the old ways, the days when the land was open and used for productive purposes instead of pampering the rich.’

‘Returning to the old days?’ whispered Tony. ‘I thought this was a progress association.’

Teagan bit down hard on her lip.

‘So,’ said Kathleen. ‘What can we do? Petition. And petition hard. Make the council see that we don’t want Domenic Ashe and his misnamed Wellness Centre.’ She reached for a wad of papers and held them up. ‘These are our weapons. Use them.’

The meeting was over. Teagan fled but not before having a dozen petition forms thrust into her hand. They sat on the ute’s passenger seat as she made her way through The Falls until, unable to stand the evidence of her lie to Lucas any longer, she stopped at the servo and dumped them into the bin. No matter how she felt about the centre or Dom, she should never have gone to that meeting. She had no business involving herself in village politics and her attendance was bound to be revealed. Lucas would find out, so would Ness, and her mother and Dom. She stifled a sob at the thought. Why was she doing this to herself? To them? It was if she wanted to ruin her life in The Falls.

Her guilt only worsened when she found Lucas in the darkness, pacing the yard.

She alighted, ready to explain, but he got in first.

‘Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick.’

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to —’

He shut her up with an embrace that felt almost desperate. ‘Jesus,’ he breathed. ‘Jesus.’ Finally he let her go. ‘I’d better call Vanessa.’

‘What for?’

‘So they can all stop worrying.’

She stepped back, guilt making her snappy. ‘For God’s sake. I’m an adult not a child.’ At his dismayed expression she looked away. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap. It’s just . . .’ She raised a hand and let it flop down. ‘I’m not used to this.’

‘To what? People caring about you?’

She bit her lip and stared towards the road. ‘I’ve always looked after myself. Then, with what Dad did . . .’ She trailed off again. How to explain how hard she found it to trust? To believe anyone could act, not in self-interest, but with selflessness. Especially towards someone so undeserving.

‘I’m not your dad, Teagan.’

‘I know.’ She curled her fist against her chest and rubbed her sternum in an attempt to soothe the ache that pulsed behind it.

‘Hey.’ A big arm went around her shoulders and she was hugged against Lucas’s solid body. With a kiss on top of her head, he began to lead her to the house. ‘We’ll work it out. I promise.’

At his kindness, the urge to cry rose thick and strong. She held it back in. She’d cried too much in front of him already. ‘I really am sorry for worrying you. I honestly didn’t mean to.’

‘I probably over-reacted. It’s just that when you said you wanted time alone it freaked me out a bit.’ The next words were said with slow carefulness. ‘Teagan, I know there’s stuff you might not be able to talk to me about but Vanessa said the centre has a psychologist that could help.’ He paused. ‘With your depression.’

‘I’m not depressed,’ she said quickly. A painful knot tightened in Teagan’s stomach. Now Lucas thought she was crazy, too. Everyone probably did. She bet they were all talking about her, how nuts she was. The thought made her want to tear from his hold and run. Anywhere. As long as it was away from here. Instead, she breathed in deeply. She might not be able to run but she could hide, within herself. Pretend there was nothing wrong. It had worked in Levenham. Mostly. ‘I’m fine. Really I am. You’re all worried about nothing.’

Though his expression was doubtful he let it drop and pulled open the kitchen door. ‘You must be starving.’

‘A bit.’ She caught the smell of curry and spotted the wok on the stove. ‘You didn’t wait for me, did you?’

He shrugged. ‘Didn’t feel like eating.’

‘Oh, Lucas, I’m sorry.’

‘It’s okay. You’re back. That’s what matters.’

She set the table, pretending not to listen in on his phone conversation as it carried from the lounge. Though Lucas spoke softly she caught snatches of phrases. A few ‘I don’t knows’, an ‘I don’t want to push’, a few straight ‘I knows’. Teagan filled in the gaps: Ness asking where Teagan had been. Whether she’d agreed to see Dom’s counsellor. Blunt statements of ‘she’s crazy’ and ‘she needs help’.

By the time he’d finished her hands were shaking and she had to escape to the bathroom to calm herself down. The anxiety lingered, and several times during dinner her cutlery clattered loudly against her plate. She caught Lucas’s tightened mouth and tried to cover up the awkwardness with inane talk. Faking her way through was better than addressing a subject she feared.

‘Shower?’ he asked when the last dish was stowed and the benches and table cleaned.

She glanced up and was astonished to see desire in his gaze. She’d done nothing to deserve this and yet he still wanted her.

‘Are you telling me I smell?’

Smiling, he moved closer and slid a finger up and down her waist. ‘I’m telling you I want to see you naked.’

Heat pulsed in her groin, pushing away all other feeling. She toyed with his shirt buttons and slid the top one undone. ‘Again? You saw me naked this morning.’

‘That was hours ago.’ His hand drifted to the button of her jeans. With an expert flick it sprang open.

‘Surely you haven’t forgotten what I look like during that time?’

‘That’s the problem. I haven’t.’ He placed a gentle kiss on her neck and moved his lips along the sensitive line to her ear. A delicious shudder went through Teagan as she heard the quickening of his breath. ‘It’s been driving me crazy.’

She gasped as he pushed the zip of her jeans down and slipped his fingers into her underwear. ‘You drive me crazy.’

‘Good. I like crazy.’

Teagan closed her eyes. It was a joke. A sexy bit of banter.

But one she desperately wished was true.

Vanessa leaned forward, concern for her sister crinkling her face. ‘Oh, Penny darling. Are you sure?’

Penny nodded. ‘He’s my husband. The only man I’ve ever loved.’

Vanessa sat back. She’d suspected this was coming. Fearing the disruption he might cause to both his wife and daughter, Vanessa had done her best to keep Graham at a distance. But she wasn’t home all the time. Graham had the house number and had been calling, and now the worst had happened. He’d convinced Penny to take him back.

She sighed. Penny loved him, that much was clear, but the man had a problem. A major problem, but then the entire family had problems. The only person without them was herself. Although that wasn’t quite true either. She still had that tiny-penised prat Callum threatening her. And her deepening feelings for Dom to sort out.

‘But he let you down so badly.’

‘I know. But he’s sorry.’

Sorry, in Vanessa’s opinion, wasn’t enough. Apologies were easy things. It was action and change that was hard, and from what she’d heard Graham had done neither. He was currently surviving on the kindness of an old family friend who’d offered him a room until he found his feet. The problem was that Graham’s feet kept taking him towards poker machines. If Penny returned there could be only one outcome and that was disaster. The broken woman she’d picked up from the airport weeks before was too fresh in Vanessa’s memory to allow her to return to that life so soon.

‘And I didn’t help with my issues.’

‘Don’t you dare blame yourself. Don’t you dare.’ Vanessa breathed through her nose in an attempt to calm down. ‘Look, darling, this is all very sudden. Why don’t you think on it for a few days? Perhaps talk to your counsellor. There’s no need to rush, is there?’

‘No,’ said Penny, sounding uncertain. ‘I suppose not.’

‘Good. Now how about some sangria to brighten us up?’

Vanessa was chopping orange segments when she spied Dom’s Mercedes through the window. Her heart gave a little skip of anticipation. The sun caught his blond hair as he stepped out and she wondered when he’d start to go grey. Only yesterday she’d noticed how much her own hair was losing its rich colour. The years were catching her. Her body was changing, yielding to middle age. Had she stayed, her ex-husbands would have traded her in long ago. Perhaps that time would come soon with Dom, too.

She ceased chopping and stared at the window, swamped with despair at the idea of her life without Dom. His friendship mattered. So did his unconcealed want. When she was near him she felt young and desirable. She liked his charm, his intelligence, his sophistication. And she liked his decency. The way he conducted his business honestly, but without compromising his determination to succeed.

It would hurt badly when he moved on. She needed to be prepared.

‘I have some good news for you,’ said Dom, breaking off his chat with Penny as Vanessa pushed open the screen door and stepped onto the verandah. He took the drinks tray from her and kissed her cheek. He smelled of the aftershave she’d bought him for his birthday – a delicious citrus scent underpinned by a woody base that seemed even sexier on him than the famously hunky actor used to advertise the brand.

‘Merlin has had a reprieve?’

‘Not yet, but Bunny’s gone over Montague’s head and arranged for his boss to inspect Merlin.’

‘But what if it backfires and he declares him dangerous?’

‘He won’t. Bunny knows him. Apparently he thinks the claim is spurious anyway. Bunny said he would’ve quashed it already except Montague’s an officious type who’d cause trouble if process wasn’t followed.’

The relief made Vanessa feel uncharacteristically weepy. ‘I so hope you’re right. I don’t think I could cope if Merlin had to be destroyed.’

‘Hey,’ said Dom, putting down the tray. He placed warm hands on her upper arms and studied her face. ‘What’s this?’

She stroked a fallen tear away. ‘Nothing. I’m just being silly.’

‘You’ve shouldered too much lately.’

‘Oh, I’m fine.’ She smiled, wanting to press herself into his chest and let his safe arms comfort her but aware it would send the wrong signal. To him as well as her traitorous heart. ‘Now, I think good news deserves a drink. Sangria?’

Although under doctor’s orders to avoid fruit juice for a while, Penny was still off alcohol. She left them to it to play with Wilma.

‘Penny mentioned just before that Graham rang,’ said Dom when she was out of earshot. There was concern in his voice.

‘He did. He asked her to come home. She’s thinking about going.’

‘Ah.’

‘It’s awful.’ Vanessa closed her eyes briefly at the thought. ‘I can’t let her go back to him.’

‘She’s an adult. Difficult to stop her.’

The teary feeling welled again. ‘It’ll end in disaster. I have to find a way to protect her.’

‘Can I help?’

She shook her head. ‘No. I’ll talk to Kevin again, the friend he’s staying with. See if he can’t convince Graham to call the gambling hotline.’

‘And Penny?’

She looked towards her sister. ‘I’ve told her to talk to her counsellor. I hope you don’t mind. It seemed the only way to stall her.’

‘Of course I don’t mind. We’ll book her in for another stay. It’ll give you a break, a chance to stop worrying.’ He pulled out his phone and began tapping.

‘Dom.’ Her tone was severe. She knew what he was doing.

‘What?’

‘I’ll pay this time.’

‘We’ll work that out later. Let’s just get her booked in.’

Irritation had Vanessa rubbing her eyebrow. She knew him too well. This was a bill that would never come; another IOU on a list that had been building alarmingly of late. His generosity left her with the feeling she was being bought, no matter how many times he rejected the accusation.

This was how it had started before. The almost paternalistic taking care of her, solving her problems. The charming promise that she didn’t owe anything when there was always a cost in the end. A big one.

She studied Dom’s profile as he worked, hungry for a sign that he was different. That for all his likeness to the men of her past he could be the man of her future. The one who wanted nothing in return except her love. Who adored her mind, her character, even her imperfections, as much as he did her body and grace. A man who never used her to achieve his own ends because she was the end.

Sensing her scrutiny, he looked up and smiled. It was tender and open, and laden with an emotion that made her heart flutter.

In that moment, the scales shifted and a dangerous thought began to form. One she needed to control fast before it built and took over. Yet with each breath, each heartbeat Vanessa held his gaze, it grew until it sat fat and frightening in her mind.

Against the heaviness of losing Dom, her independence weighed little.