Adopted: Outback Baby. Barbara Hannay

hurt to talk about this. A sob burned her throat but she stumbled on, needing to tell him everything. But, more than anything now, she wanted to share with him her precious memories of their daughter.

      ‘Tegan was gorgeous, Jacob. When she was born, she was so tiny and perfect and cute. She had such a sweet face. Gorgeous dark eyes—a bit unfocused, of course. And her little pink fingers were curling over the edge of her blanket and she had the most perfect miniature fingernails.’

      Avoiding the pain in his face, she closed her eyes. Don’t cry. It won’t help anyone if you cry. She drew a deep breath. ‘I didn’t know that was the last time I would see her.’ She drew another breath for courage. ‘They told me they were putting her in some kind of foster care until I was fully recovered.’

      ‘Nell.’

      ‘I broke down completely when I realised what I’d signed, but the nurse in charge just whacked me with more sedatives.’

      ‘How could she?’

      ‘It was twenty years ago. Anything could happen if someone paid enough money.’

      A growl of rage broke from him.

      ‘Afterwards, Mum and Dad whisked me back to Queensland and no one ever told me that I had thirty days to change my mind about the adoption. As soon as I was strong enough, I left Half Moon, but by the time I got back down here it was too late to reclaim Tegan.’