‘It’s taken me by surprise too. I’ve never been so passionate about anything before,’ I said. ‘Until I started working at the vineyard, I didn’t think of myself as a career woman. After Mum died and I dropped out of university, I lost my purpose. Now I’ve found something I love and I know I’m having a baby and it won’t be easy but I want to go back to uni, Dad, and learn how to do it properly. I really think I could make a go of this. As well as motherhood, that is.’

There was a silence down the line that went on a beat too long for comfort; for a moment I thought the line had gone dead.

‘Are you still there?’ I asked.

‘Lottie, there’s something I want to say that I should have said long ago,’ he said haltingly. ‘I leaned on you far too heavily when your mum died. A stronger man would have insisted that you live your own life and not put your aspirations on hold to look after a grieving father. Then I was selfish again when I encouraged you to join Allbright Tree Services. You should have been out in the world ploughing your own furrow instead of helping me with mine. I loved having you so close, but even at the time I felt guilty about it. I’m sorry, love.’

‘But, Dad, I was happy with the choices I made,’ I insisted.

And I meant it; maybe Mum’s death had been the reason I’d put my future on hold, an excuse to stay in the bosom of my family and take the easy path through life. But maybe that was because I hadn’t known what I’d wanted out of life. Now I had found something that made me happy and that was all that mattered.

He let out a long whistling breath. ‘You don’t know how relieved I am to hear that. But listen, love, about university, me and your mum supported Evie through her studies, and I’ll do the same for you if that’s what you want to do.’

‘Wow!’ I gasped. ‘I feel like I should be standing on my own two feet by now, but that would be amazing, thank you.’

‘Really. I want you to be happy.’

I felt a lump form in my throat; I had been wondering how I was going to fund myself. My heart melted a little bit more when Dad went on to suggest that he’d give Adam and Nicky three months’ notice on his house so that I’d have somewhere more permanent to bring the baby home to.

‘I’m so lucky having you as my dad,’ I said.

‘And I’m lucky to have you and Evie and now Agnes too,’ he said softly. ‘Meeting her has opened up a whole new world.’