Ann stood at the end of the hall, beside the kitchen door. Every thought in her head evaporated as Olivia started to walk towards her. The young woman was clearly her brother’s daughter. The same blonde curls, the same eyes. She even had the same slightly turned-out feet that she had herself, that her father had always teased her about, and told her it was because someone had forgotten to tighten her legs up properly.

Isobel rushed ahead of the visitors and rescued the situation. ‘We are in the kitchen again, Mrs Sidcup. I’m afraid we are still waiting for the chimney sweep. They are so busy at this time of year when people are thinking about getting ready for Christmas.’

By the time they were gathered around the kitchen table, Ann had regained some composure. Isobel had seated Olivia opposite Ann and placed herself and Mrs Sidcup at the other end of the table.

‘Thank you for inviting us to see you, Miss Black.’ Beatrice Sidcup’s voice was cool and polite. She seemed to be in a much more controlled frame of mind than she had been on her previous visit.

‘It’s my pleasure,’ replied Ann evenly, her heart racing. She looked across at Olivia. ‘I understand that you hope to study at the university. Perhaps you might begin by telling me a little about that.’

Mrs Sidcup frowned and cleared her throat and it was all Isobel could do not to kick her under the table. Any semblance of desperation and gratitude had vanished.

Olivia got there before her mother. Her voice, the tone, the consideration of each word was so much like Finlay when he was younger that Ann found it quite distracting.

‘As I expect my mother has told you, I plan to study mathematics. I hope to start my first year next autumn, and my mother had arranged perfectly adequate lodgings for me. However, on Monday the landlord terminated the arrangement without warning. He thought that my name was Oliver, not Olivia, and used that as justification. I now need somewhere else to live. My mother feels that once she travels to Canada it will be necessary for me to lodge with someone, and that I cannot manage alone. I’m not sure why she feels this to be the case, as I am perfectly capable, but as I’m not the person paying the rent, it seems I do not have a say in the matter.’

Ann tried hard to concentrate. This young woman had spirit and was prepared to say things older ears might find difficult. She liked her already. ‘I am not sure if you know this,’ she replied, ‘but I knew your father.’

Mrs Sidcup’s eyes widened.

‘I knew him when he was a young man. He spent a lot of time in this house.’ She was determined not to lie. How her carefully chosen words were interpreted was up to the listener.