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been her degradation. It was no use fooling herself any longer that the wounds had healed, and working with Luke would only open them further.
    Determinedly she sprang to her feet and after running a brush through her hair made her faltering way back down to the living room. On the bottom stair she halted. Gammy sat alone, the remains of their meal still on the table.
    ‘Where’s Luke?’ Taryn’s voice was a mere whisper.
    ‘Gone. He couldn’t wait for you to come out of your tantrum.’
    ‘I was not in a tantrum,’ retorted Taryn, ‘I was merely telling him the truth.’
    Gammy snorted. ‘You sounded very rude to me. I don’t know what’s come over you. I’ve never known you behave like this before. Have you forgotten that you’re going to work for him?’
    But Taryn was not listening. She was across the room and out of the door, running down the path to the road. Perhaps she could stop him; perhaps it wasn’t too late—but there was no one in sight and as she looked towards the top field the helicopter rose into the air. He flew low across the valley. Taryn waved frantically, and he saw her. So close was the aircraft that she saw the white of his teeth as he smiled. She shouted to him to come back, but her words were borne away on the wind. His hand waved in salute before he lifted with sudden swiftness and disappeared into the blue summer sky.
    In chagrin Taryn bit her lip. He thought she was saying goodbye. She turned, startled to find Gammy at her side.
    ‘He left a message,’ remarked the older woman. ‘He said you’re to go up to Dale End tomorrow and explain to his man exactly what you want doing.’
    ‘But, Gammy,’ Taryn’s face crumpled, ‘I’ve changed my mind. I wanted to tell him—it won’t work out. You saw my reaction. I can’t do it.’ The last words were choked from her lips, and placing an arm about her niece’s shoulders Gammy led her back into the cottage.
    ‘You’re overwrought,’ she consoled. ‘It’s been a shock. You’ll adjust in time.’
    Taryn shook her head. ‘Never. To me he will always be Mark—and I hate him!’ Her voice rose hysterically. ‘Oh, Gammy, it’s against the laws of nature for two man to look so alike. Do you still think he can really be Mark?'
    ‘I don’t know what to think, love. All I know is that he seems a nice enough man, whoever he is, and if you know what’s good for you you’ll start that job tomorrow and act as though he’s any normal employer. Work is what you need right now, and by the time Luke’s back you’ll have grown used to the idea of seeing him about.’
    ‘I suppose you’re right,’ admitted Taryn. ‘Do you know when he’ll be coming?’
    ‘He said something about the weekend. That’s four days to pull yourself together.’
     
    Taryn went early to the house the next day. Her aunt was right. She did need something to occupy her mind. Every waking hour, every minute, every second, her thoughts dwelled constantly on Luke. She had lain awake far into the night, unable to banish from her mind this man who had ravaged her calm. entered into her valley of peace, crushed with one mighty blow the fence she had built round her broken heart. Did Luke himself know the anguish he had caused? Could he guess how it felt to be so reminded of the man who had tossed her casually to one side? Her thoughts ran on and on in the same vein until she felt bemused and unable to face the new day. Only Gammy’s plain speaking had brought her to her senses.
    'There’s no point in brooding, love. 'Whatever will be will be' as the song goes, and very true it is. Luke can’t help what he looks like, and it's up to you to accept him as he is and forget about everything else. You’ve let that Italian affair upset you too much, though I’ve never told you so before. Now you’ve got an interesting job you must count it as a blessing. Everything happens for the best, even if it doesn't look like it at the time.’
    Taryn recalled her