Elinor Harland undertook secretarial training and joined the Australian Diplomatic Service. She became the personal secretary of Ambassadors in several different stations including Manila - Philippines, Washington DC, Malawi, New Delhi - India and Nairobi - Kenya.  Amongst her many responsibilities was planning embassy  parties, which she enjoyed and for which she was well suited because of her warm personality.

She had had to have a mastectomy for breast cancer quite early, and this had probably discouraged her from marriage; but at the age of 50 she married Peter Gordon.  He was a Scot who worked with the World Health Organisation and he met Elinor during his travels in Africa. They had a wonderfully warm relationship.  They chose to be married in Lech, in the high Alps of Austria, and then set up home in rural France, when both of them took instant early retirement.

Their spoken French was very distinctive – she spoke with a broad Australian accent, while his native Scots unmistakably affected his French. They picked out an out-of-the-way village, Monthodon, near the Loire Valley, as their home.   Despite being obvious ‘incomers’, the villagers made them very welcome. Peter had been a fine soccer player in his youth, and became the President of the Monthodon football club - a village team of little distinction!

They rented Le Vieux Presbytere; it was a charming home, with roses covering the front door, a butcher who came to the door with fresh cuts of meat each week, and a boulangerie just down the road. Peter and Elinor enjoyed introducing visitors to the joys of the Loire valley, which includes many beautiful chateaux as well as Michelin starred restaurants.  They welcomed several different sections of the family to stay at Le Vieux Presbytere, with meals prepared with French flair by Elinor.  

One of their many kindnesses was to come to Hillside in 1987 and look after an ailing Aunt Elinor, while Uncle Arthur took a break in his beloved London.  Elinor, who had, of course, been named after her aunt, had already developed metastatic disease, and died within a few weeks of returning to France. When Elinor died, Peter re-married an old friend of theirs who had also been widowed quite recently.  He went to live in St. Jean de Luz, near the Spanish border - but cut off all his connections with the Harland clan at that point - we know not why.