‘Well, technically you were the one who said to stop. Said we can’t do this …’ Grace said, trying to get her head around this revelation and wondering if he was telling her the truth. Maybe not. Maybe he was lying. Trying to wriggle his way out of what just happened between them. Well, she wasn’t going to be duped …

‘I only said we can’t do this because you were crying, Grace. It wasn’t right … I didn’t want to take advantage when you were clearly vulnerable at that moment. I’m sorry if I made you feel rejected, but I didn’t know why you were crying …’

‘I was upset about Connie … you know her parents took Lara to America and didn’t even tell her? I found a photo of a few stray pages and it was all there in black and white. Connie was so happy when she went to the village, Tindledale, expecting to collect Lara and bring her here to Italy, but the cottage was empty. Imagine that … your child, the person you love more than anything, just gone. Taken away from you. All the dreams and the future life you imagined together just snatched away … It’s cruel and it’s—’

‘Life is cruel,’ he said. ‘But you know, I reckon Connie’s parents thought they were doing the right thing. Protecting Connie and Lara. It was a long time ago and like Nonna Maria said, times were different then. There was a lot of stigma attached to illegitimate children and the mothers of illegitimate children in those days. It’s wonderful that you feel so impassioned by Connie’s story … well, it’s not wonderful that it’s upsetting you this much, that’s not good at all, so maybe take a step back now? For your own sanity.’ He nodded, his eyes full of concern.

‘I know … I’ve got too close,’ she agreed.

‘Why is that? Have you had someone taken from you too? Is that it? Is that why Connie’s story upset you like this?’ he asked, straight to the point as always.

‘Um … yes,’ she said, ‘my ex-boyfriend … he cheated on me, but it was ages ago now,’ and she looked away. ‘It sounds so trivial by comparison … I mean, it’s not the same as a child being take away or your truelove dying as Connie’s Jimmy did … those things are life-altering and devastating and people never get over them. And people cheat all the time, it’s not like I’m the only one it’s happen—’