Synopsis
The last person Matilda Wood expected to meet deep in the Cornish countryside was her love from Hong Kong, Bart Stanning. They had met nine years previously when they were resident in Hong Kong. Their two-year relationship ended abruptly when Mattie’s mother had a serious stoke, and she was recalled to London. Mattie, an only child, was the product of a loving, well regulated home. Posted to Hong Kong by her employers, she meets and falls deeply in love with Bart. After her return to England, Mattie is devastated when she realises that Bart makes no effort to follow her. Nor does he expect her to return to Hong Kong. Mattie gradually recovers, and marries. Tragically, after four years of marriage, her husband dies. Although she loved and respected her husband, Bart remained the man she regarded as the love of her life. Bart Stanning is a popular, easy going, sports loving bachelor about town. As a successful property developer, he is wealthy. He and Mattie have much in common. Both are intelligent, educated, and successful. However, there are differences. She is efficient, careful with money, has a distinct artistic flair, and hopes for a long-term relationship. Bart is carefree, responsible to and for no one but himself. He is untidy and careless about money. His outward persona hides a deeper self. However much he loves Mattie, he has always found it very hard to make a permanent commitment to anyone. His parents’ bitter divorce when he was a child left him deeply scarred. That mental scarring is still present. Returning from Hong Kong, Bart has inherited a large house in Cornwall, needing renovation. He is also responsible for his orphaned six year old niece, Rosie. Mattie, at Bart’s request, comes to stay to help Bart with improvements to the house. She also agrees to help with Rosie, who has shown some psychological problems following the death of her mother. . After a summer of simmering tension, the sensual attraction and love Mattie and Bart feel for each other, erupts the night of the party. The one thing Mattie has vowed would never happen, happens. They spend the night together. The next day, Mattie, aghast, returns to London. She does not a wish the risk rejection again. She returns to London, and then she discovers she’s pregnant. She has to tell Bart, who has some disturbing news for her. Rosie’s estranged father appears, and demands custody. However, that threat recedes, until it’s nearly Christmas. Two weeks before Christmas Day, Rosie disappears. Mattie horrified, drives to Perryn immediately, to find on arrival Rosie has been found unharmed. Once Mattie is back at Perryn, Bart vows he will never let Mattie leave him again. On Christmas Eve, he at last declares his love and asks Mattie to marry him. She agrees. It is the end of a long journey.
About the Author
Mary Jane lived in Sydney where she attended Queenwood School. With her family she lived in Tokyo and then Hong Kong where her father was stationed as a Foreign Correspondent for a London newspaper. Returning to the UK she studied radiography, then returned to Hong Kong where she worked as a ground stewardess for QANTAS. Once again back in London, she joined BOAC flying the world as an air stewardess. Marriage and two daughters clipped Mary Jane's wings, but she always maintained her love of writing. Now living in the West Country her first non fiction article The Bird Yard was published in Devon Life magazine in 2009. She completed her first short story, The Thrill of the Chase e-published in the summer 2013, and is just about to launch her first full length romantic novel To Touch a Rainbow in autumn 2013, which also incorporates The Bird Yard.
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