‘Unfortunately, neither of us have family here in Edinburgh any more. I managed to find a respectable lodging house for her. It’s not like staying at home, but she insists that she would have preferred not to live at home while she is at university anyway, even if we were here in the city. I am hoping that you may agree to be a sort of guardian for her. Someone she could come to if she needed assistance with anything.’

‘But she has never met me. I am not part of your social circle. I am a stranger.’ Ann looked directly at the visitor. ‘How do you propose to explain this arrangement to her? I assume you do not intend to reveal to her, if what you say is true, that I am, in fact, her aunt.’

‘I would say that you are the sister of a friend.’

Isobel spoke out loud without meaning to. ‘Instead of the truth, which is that Ann is the sister of her fa—’ She stopped herself before the final syllable.

‘My friend is correct,’ said Ann. ‘This is quite a deception.’

Beatrice Sidcup was almost in tears. ‘I am not sure you appreciate how difficult it has been for me to come here today. I cannot think of another way forward. I have spent so many nights with it going around and around in my head. I do not want to leave Olivia, at not quite eighteen, with no older woman to look out for her in case—’

Ann finished the sentence for her. ‘In case she makes the same error that you did.’

The reply was almost inaudible. ‘Yes.’

No one spoke.

Eventually, Beatrice Sidcup seemed to pull herself together. She sat up straight and waited for a response.

Ann stood up. ‘I need to think about this. As I’m sure you can imagine, it has all been rather a shock. I think perhaps it would be best if you leave now, Mrs Sidcup. If you are willing to provide me with your address, I will write and let you know what I have decided.’

The visitor took a card from her bag and handed it over. At the front door, before she stepped back into the chill of the late afternoon, she turned to Ann as though to add something.

Ann pre-empted her. ‘I do understand that there is some urgency about this but I will not be rushed into a decision. It would not be in anyone’s interests. Or rather, without wishing to be unkind, it is perhaps in your own, but not in those of the other parties in this matter.’

Chapter 48

November 1931

‘Will you and Rab be going up to the High Street on Wednesday?’ Ann was sitting at the kitchen table and in front of her was a cardboard box filled with brown envelopes and seed packets.