The Women Who Ran Away - Sheila O'Flanagan Page 0,150

treasure thanks to Ken,’ Grace said after Deira had told her about her meeting with Charlie.

‘Maybe,’ said Deira. ‘I don’t know how this will work out. If there even is anything to work out. If I want it to.’

‘Sometimes the most unexpected things happen when you leave it all in the lap of the gods,’ said Grace. ‘Sometimes chance plays a far greater role in our lives than we think.’

Grace was right, thought Deira, just like Tillie so often was. Chance had brought them together, and their journey had ended in ways that neither of them had expected, ways that seemed to be sending both of them in a new direction.

The future isn’t set in stone, she told herself as she pulled her keyboard towards her and started to type. But neither is it something I can be sure of shaping the way I want. All I can do is hang on for the ride, and grab whatever opportunities I can along the way.

With no regrets.

Acknowledgements

It takes more than just the author to turn an idea for a book into a finished novel that people might want to read, and the fact that Deira and Grace’s story has made it to the shelves (and the digital downloads) is because I have some wonderful people looking after me along the way.

Enormous thanks to Marion Donaldson for her always thoughtful editorial suggestions. We’ve worked together for many years and technology has moved us away from reams of paper notes to colour-coded lists of queries on a screen. No matter which way they arrive, Marion’s suggestions are always made with warmth and humour, and I’m very grateful that she always sees what I’m trying to say, no matter how inelegantly I sometimes say it.

Along with Marion, the book-loving people at Headline and Hachette are always a joy to work with. Special thanks to Ellie, Katie, Yeti and Alara in London, and to the entire Dublin team of Breda, Jim, Ruth, Elaine, Siobhan, Bernard, Joanna and the two Ciaras.

My agent Isobel Dixon and her fantastic colleagues at Blake Friedmann look after me and my books wonderfully well. Thank you all once again for everything you do on my behalf. Extra thanks to Daisy, Sian, James and Resham for being unfailingly helpful even when I’m being particularly daft.

My copyeditor, Jane Selley, has saved me from myself on more than one occasion, and I thank her for doing it so brilliantly once again in this novel. Thanks also to my proofreader, Kate Truman, for her work on the final manuscript.

For bringing me on the literary tour of France and Spain, doing most of the driving, parking in impossible carparks, finding hidden hotels and beautiful locations – as well as drafting the first version of the map and highlighting the not-so-deliberate errors in the manuscript – I truly can’t thank Colm enough.

As always lots of thanks to my family who champion my books any time, any place and everywhere.

And finally – to you, the reader, whether this is the first of my books you’ve read or you’ve been with me for a lot of the journey, thank you for choosing The Women Who Ran Away. I hope you enjoyed reading about Deira and Grace as much as I enjoyed telling their story.

We hope you enjoyed reading THE WOMEN WHO RAN AWAY.

Don’t miss Sheila O’Flanagan’s No. 1 bestselling novel

HER HUSBAND’S MISTAKE.

Read the opening section of the novel now . . .

Chapter 1

The morning after my father’s funeral, I came home and found my husband in bed with the next-door neighbour.

The first thing I wanted to do, when I saw Julie Halpin bouncing up and down on top of Dave like a naked cowboy in a rodeo, was to unsee what I’d just seen. I wanted to tiptoe out of the house and pretend I hadn’t been there at all. Which I know is a sadly weak response from someone who likes to believe that she’s strong and resilient and good in a crisis. But at that moment I didn’t feel one bit strong or resilient. Besides, my legs were far too wobbly to carry me out of the house without collapsing.

The thing is, I’d already been through a crisis. I’d managed to hold it together through the months of Dad’s illness, when Mum was in denial and my brother too upset to be of any use. I’d coordinated hospital visits, talked to the nursing staff, made sure Dad was never alone for too long and even kept his