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happiness, contentment and togetherness, can’t they?In truth, only the individuals concerned know if they’re happy or not.’
    ‘I agree. Unfortunately if they seem happier than you, then you can feel a bit of a failure.’
    Intrigued, Jarrett leaned forward a little.
    ‘Have you ever asked yourself why happiness seems to come so easily to some and not to others?’ she pondered. ‘Do you think it’s got anything to do with
deserving
it?’
    ‘No. I don’t think it’s got anything to do with deserving it,’ he replied. ‘There are too many examples in the world to disprove that. Why? Has someone told you that it has?’
    ‘No. Maybe I just feel too guilty about the wrong turns I’ve made.’
    ‘It sounds to me as if you’re much too hard on yourself. Maybe if you could just dump all the guilt that weighs you down and try to be more optimistic things might get a little easier for you, Sophia? I know you can’t control everything that happens in life, but I must confess I’m a strong believer in creating your own luck … being captain of your own ship.’
    ‘Oh.’
    ‘Do you have other views on the matter?’
    Working her even white teeth against her plump lower lip, Sophia lightly shook her head. ‘I do—but I think they might be somewhat prejudiced. I started out being very optimistic about life … convinced that I knew which road to take to make me happy. But although I remained optimistic and hopeful I made some very poor decisions that made me anything
but
. Let’s just leave it at that, shall we?’
    ‘We all make poor decisions and mistakes from timeto time. It comes with the territory of being human. It doesn’t mean that you won’t ever make a good decision again and achieve some level of satisfaction and happiness.’
    ‘I’m sure you’re right.’
    ‘Going back to your original question about my sister and her husband—what’s your impression? Do
you
think that they’re happy?’
    ‘Well, I’ve only just met them, but if this extremely tidy garden is any indication I get the impression that they live a very ordered and potentially happy life together.’
    ‘Beth and Paul are both very practical people. I’d never call them dreamers, if that’s what you’re getting at.’
    Hunching forward to rest his elbows on his knees, he examined the neat borders with new eyes, almost guiltily recalling Beth’s account of her several visits to a local garden centre for advice on creating the perfect lawn. The very concept had bemused him.
    ‘And, yes, they don’t appear to leave very much to chance,’ he agreed cautiously.
    ‘Dreamers or not, life has a way of subverting even the most carefully laid plans.’
    Sophia gazed off into the distance, as if preoccupied by some disturbing recollection that still haunted her. Turning to observe her, Jarrett felt his insides submerged in a wave of sympathy.
    A second later Charlie called out to her to watch him throw the ball, and her lovely face broke into an unguarded smile, the disturbing memory temporarily banished. ‘That’s wonderful, darling!’
    ‘You should learn to play cricket, Charlie,’ Jarrett called out. ‘You’re a natural bowler.’
    ‘Will you teach me, Mr Gaskill?’
    ‘I’d be delighted to … but only if you call me Jarrett.’
    The small boy gifted him with a self-conscious grin. ‘Okay!’
    ‘That’s settled, then.’
    ‘You shouldn’t promise him things that you don’t have the time or the intention to follow through on,’ Sophia scolded him, her cheeks flushing pink. ‘He has a memory like an elephant. He forgets nothing … even the things I wish he
would
.’
    It was the last part of her statement that perturbed Jarrett the most. Now wasn’t the time, but very soon he fully intended to ask her exactly what she meant by it. He also wanted to ask why she’d commented that she wasn’t sorry she was a widow. That discussion they’d just had about happiness was already taking on a significance that he