‘William, want to come for a sschwim in my world?’ He hadn’t even noticed Howard taking off his shirt, and his shorts, before diving in. ‘Come on in!’ the fishy voice called.

‘Can I, Dad?’

His dad responded by taking off his own shirt and trousers, then helping William with his.

‘Where are you, fish?’ William called in his best Donald Duck voice, doggy-paddling towards Howard. And there followed a glorious half-hour of William’s Donald Duck talking nonsense to Howard’s fish.

On the way home, soggy but warm, exhausted but content, they stopped for petrol and Howard plucked a big bunch of red tulips from a bucket outside the station. When Evelyn answered the door to four bedraggled figures, Howard bowed low and offered them to her in the stupid voice.

‘For Madam, fwom Laverwy, Sssons and Gwandsssson.’

She took them from him, trying to smile. ‘Goodness, look at you all!’ She held her arms out to William. ‘What were you thinking, Paul?’ – the smile and the words horribly at odds with each other.

Later he saw the tulips lying in the sink while Evelyn cooked tea. ‘They need water, Mum.’

‘Give it to them then.’ She shrugged, still out of sorts. He put them in a mug, but had to lean them against the wall to stop them falling over.

Under the misapprehension that the flowers had been a hit, Howard bought an identical bouquet the next week. William looked at his dad, wondering if they should stop him, but he shook his head and whispered, ‘He’s being kind.’

This time, once she’d closed the door on Howard and Robert, Evelyn let out a clenched scream.

‘Lavery and Sons and Grandson!’ She rammed the flowers into the bin and a few petals dropped onto the floor, like thick drops of blood. ‘Howard’s not even family. I’m Mrs Lavery …’ She paused, on the verge of tears. ‘And anyway, why aren’t I ever invited?’

‘Maybe if you weren’t so prickly with Howard,’ William’s dad said softly. ‘He thinks you don’t like him. He’s just trying, and anyway, the point is to give you some peace and quiet.

‘He’s my son,’ Evelyn said, as if he hadn’t spoken, ‘don’t I get a say in what he does with his life?’

‘Of course you do.’ His dad kissed the top of her head. ‘You’re his mother, and you’re magnificent.’

‘One thing’s for sure – if William goes into the family business, that’s the end of it. He’ll be one of your tight little gang and I’ll always be on the outside.’

‘Oh, Evelyn,’ his dad said, pulling her close to him, ‘there’s enough love to go round, you know?’