‘And I daresay that complicates things, and I don’t expect you to feel the same, but I had to tell you,’ Max couldn’t seem to stop talking. ‘I can’t stand the thought of bumping into you in the village for the rest of my life and making small talk and you not knowing and—’
Angela removed her mittens and placed a finger gently on his lips.
‘I love you too, Max,’ she said. She thought about kissing him, but somehow it didn’t feel quite right. Life with Max would not be about grand, romantic gestures. It would be about small, everyday joys, shared and cherished. It would be about peace. Slipping her bare hand into his gloved one, Angela turned towards the house – her other true love.
‘Let’s go inside and talk about it, shall we?’ she said, happiness flooding through her as their fingers entwined. ‘I’ll make us a lovely pot of tea.’
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to everyone at Harper Collins, especially my tireless editor Kim Young, but also Lucy Upton, Jaime Frost, Liz Dawson, Claire Palmer and the amazing sales team, Laura Fletcher, Sarah, Tom and Lisa. Also to my agents Luke Janklow and Hellie Ogden, and to everyone at Janklow & Nesbit, especially Kirsty Gordon in London and Claire Dippel in New York. Writing is the best job in the world and I am very aware of how lucky I am to be able to do this for a living. With this in mind, I would like to thank all my readers, new and old, and everyone who has helped me along the way, including: Lydia Slater who gave me a chance at the Sunday Times; Kate Mills, my wonderful first editor at Orion; the unique and lovely Wayne Brookes; Sarah Ritherdon, who had the original idea for a Swell Valley series; Fred Metcalf and my sister Louise, for telling me I could write in the first place; Tif Loehnis, for making it happen; and Luke Janklow (again) for continuing to make it happen, and more importantly, for making it fun.
Finally, as always, a huge thanks to my family for putting up with me, especially my husband Robin and our children, Sef, Zac, Theo and Summer. I love you all so much.
The Inheritance is dedicated to my lovely friend Sarah Hughes and her husband Kris. Thank you for everything you have done for Sefi, and for me, this past year. You are friends indeed.
TB 2014
About the Author
Tilly Bagshawe is the international bestselling author of eleven previous novels.
A single mother at seventeen, Tilly won a place at Cambridge University and took her baby daughter with her. Now married to an American and a mother of four, Tilly and her family divide their time between the bright lights of Los Angeles and the peace and tranquility of a sleepy Cotswold village.
Before her first book, Adored, became an international smash hit, Tilly had a successful career in the City. Later, as a journalist, she contributed regularly to the Sunday Times, Daily Mail and Evening Standard before turning her hand to novels, following in the footsteps of her sister Louise. These days, whenever she’s not writing or on a plane, Tilly’s life mostly revolves around the school run, boy scouts and Peppa Pig.