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‘As young as I was when we met, I remember wondering how a woman from that wealthy family ended up on a sheep station.’

He nodded, embarrassed. ‘You’ve told me your secrets, Fleur, so I’m going to tell you mine.’ He was glad that she didn’t pounce on the idea of hearing a secret, waiting through his lengthy pause while he arranged how to say it aloud. ‘I was in hospital recently – nothing serious,’ he said before she could enquire, ‘and in the bed next to me was an old fella who knew my father . . . probably knew him before I was born. And um . . .’ Tom trailed off, giving a sigh.

‘Go on, Tom. You’re safe with me.’

‘I know. It’s just hard.’ She waited again for him to continue. ‘He told me that my mother was already pregnant when my father married her.’

‘Is that it? Tom, you don’t have to—’

‘No, you don’t understand. She loved someone else. But her family refused to let her be with him, as I understand it. She defied them and kept seeing him and then realised she was going to have a baby. I don’t know what happened in between that time, but she met my dad at the Royal Show. He fell in love. Not hard to do with my mum.’

‘And the family didn’t mind her falling for a drover?’ Fleur sounded incredulous.

‘I’m sure they did, but by then they were probably tired of her rebelliousness. And while I think she did enjoy him – perhaps even learned how to be in love with him – I can now see there was a defiance in her marriage to him, not to mention a practical side, with me coming along.’

‘If we walk up here we’ll come onto the main street,’ she said softly, clearly not wanting to interrupt him.

He nodded as they passed a couple of pubs, one on either side of the street. Ahead they could see the lights of what he presumed to be a theatre. It was still relatively early, so the patrons would still be inside enjoying the film, but the traffic was thickening now that they’d come off the Esplanade and were heading back towards Black Diamond Corner.

‘Go on,’ she urged gently. ‘We seem to have similar situations.’

He shrugged. ‘I won’t say she regretted it entirely, because she was very fond of my father – that’s how it felt anyway, when they were together. But now I feel sad, responsible even, that she couldn’t have all that she wanted in life. There was so much more to her than being known as Vern Catchlove’s wife, or Tom Catchlove’s mum. Neither of us were particularly special, but she was. She could have been with the man she really loved . . . and not us.’

‘Don’t put yourself down. I think you’re one out of the box, Tom, and she chose to remain in that life because she loved you.’

‘I think she could have been anything she wanted to be, but the only avenue to escape her awful family was marriage and motherhood.’

‘No, listen to me. The fact that they wanted her body back here means they felt she was always theirs. Your mother made her choices – we all do. My father has too. Your mother’s desire to thumb her nose at her domineering family led to Vern. She chose to marry him and chose to raise you as his son. Don’t ever forget that you are the product of her true love, so you were her most precious person.’

Tom gave a sad smile. ‘They both chose to keep it a secret, though. Finding out the way I did was like the final blow and another reason I’m here and no longer in Farina. After she died, my father changed towards me.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘We became like strangers living together.’

‘Oh, Tom—’

‘It’s all right,’ he assured her, shaking his head. ‘I’ve been making my peace with it. Being away from all things familiar helps. But it’s the truth that after her death he no longer treated me the same way. I couldn’t work it out, you know. He’d leave me – young as I was – for long periods of time and I’d knock about with the shearing shed gang . . . the rouseabouts especially. I was raised by others from age ten until my fifteenth birthday, when they all considered me old enough to fend for myself.’

‘I’m so sorry, Tom.’ She let go of his hand and put hers on his arm instead, pausing for a moment in sympathy.

‘Don’t be,’ he said. ‘It wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t family.’ He placed his hand on hers. ‘Don’t you make that same mistake as my mother, Fleur. You were smarter at eight than any adult I’d met. I hope you fulfil all your ambition.’

Fleur gave him a sidelong glance that was filled with pleasure. ‘Remind me to tell you about my ambition?’

‘All right, but only if you promise to let me take you out properly, perhaps for the day.’

‘That’s easy. I promise. When?’

‘Tomorrow?’ He looked hopeful.

‘Sunday . . .’ she said, thinking, and nodded. ‘Providing we have no call-outs in the morning.’

‘You can choose where we go. I have no idea where to take you.’

‘Oh, Tom, let’s go to the zoo. I haven’t been for years and there’s a new hippopotamus. He’s called Newsboy and came from Auckland Zoo.’

‘The zoo.’ He knew he sounded excited. ‘I often think I like animals better than people, Fleur . . . present company not included.’ He grinned. ‘I’ve never been to a zoo. I couldn’t think of anything more thrilling for a day out.’