Boon's Bookcase

Sunshine and Sweet Peas in Nightingale Square

by

Heidi Swain

BLOG TOUR

I'm delighted to be a part of the Blog Tour for Heidi Swain's new book Sunshine and Sweet Pease in Nightingale Square. I have met Heidi a couple of times and she is a lovely lady and lives in a fabulous part of Norfolk that I can't wait to visit! Today, I have an extract for you so sit back and enjoy an extract. By the way, I love the title!

Prologue

'Are you sure you’re all right, Kate?’ David asked as our

honeymoon flight finally touched down and I twisted in my

seat to catch my first glimpse of an Italian sunrise. ‘I know

she said something to you.’

‘Honestly,’ I said, shaking my head and dismissing the harsh

words my mother had used to warn me that my marriage

would last six months, if I was lucky. ‘I’m fine. It’s nothing.’

‘But you were late to the church,’ David persisted in spite

of my reassurance. ‘Very late.’

‘I’ve already told you,’ I laughed, reaching for his hand and

kissing it. ‘That was down to Dad dithering about. He was

more nervous than I was.’

David nodded.

‘Did you think she’d finally got to me?’ I asked, halfjokingly.

‘I hope you didn’t think she’d made me change

‘The thought did enter my head as the seconds began to

tick by,’ he admitted with a boyish grin.

‘Then you’re more deluded than she is,’ I tutted. ‘I love

you, David and no amount of mithering from my mother

could ever change that.’

It was true. I loved the man in the seat next to me body

and soul. I had from the very first moment I laid eyes on

him. Yes, he had a dubious relationship history but I knew he

wasn’t the same person any more. Unfortunately, my mother

didn’t share my belief, but had she paid half as much attention

to the impeccable present as she did to the promiscuous past,

she would have seen for herself just how well- suited we were.

David hadn’t so much as looked at another woman since

our relationship had turned from casual to serious and sitting

on that flight, poised to explore Rome, Venice and beyond,

I could see both my marriage and my career comfortingly

stretching out ahead of me. David and I were to be partners

both in our lives and our work in the antiques trade. Granted

we had each chosen to make sacrifices to make our relationship

work, but we were both equally determined to make a

success of it all.

‘She still doesn’t know you like I do,’ I said consolingly,

‘but she will. In time.’

David didn’t look convinced.

‘I just wish I could make her see how much I love you,

Mrs Kate Harper.’ He burst out, more serious all of a sudden,

‘I just want her to understand that I would never hurt you,

that this old leopard really has changed his spots.’

‘Hey,’ I cut in, feeling giddy at the sound of my married

name, ‘less of the old, thank you very much! There aren’t

that many years between us.’

David was not to be distracted from making his heartfelt

declaration.

‘No,’ he said, ‘I mean this, Kate. You’re the best thing

that’s ever happened to me. You’ve been a breath of fresh air

since the first moment I clapped eyes on you and I would

never, ever do, or say, anything that would hurt you or

make you doubt me. I don’t care what anyone else thinks of

us, all I need to know is that you trust me with every bit of

your heart.’

I closed my eyes as he tenderly cupped my face in his hands

and brushed his lips lightly against mine. I had never felt so

happy, so loved and cherished. I held tight to that moment

and locked it away for safekeeping.

‘I trust you,’ I whispered, looking deep into his eyes.