‘I shouldn’t have gone out …’ He strains to make out her low words. ‘He used to get like this every year. Ted would take him down the pub to get his mind off it and he’d come back … blind drunk. Then, a couple of years ago I said, “No more.” I wouldn’t let him go. Instead, we sat together listening to the wireless and we talked a bit about Mum … that seemed like a much more fitting memorial than …’ Jim’s snore rattles behind them. Gwen bites her lip. ‘I thought he’d just stay at home with you, I thought it’d be all right. I didn’t expect him to go out … and I so wanted to come tonight. I promise you, Jack, this is out of character for him. He would never usually—’

‘When grief possesses a man, he becomes capable of excesses he would never have dreamed of.’ Jack knows this better than anyone. He clears his throat, embarrassed to have been so unguarded. ‘It’s not your fault, Gwen. I’m just sorry I couldn’t stop him.’

‘It was unfair of me to expect you to. When Ted and Dad set their minds to something … their hearts are so bruised, you see. I suppose sometimes they just need to … numb the pain.’ She has started to shiver. She rubs her hands up and down her goosefleshed arms. ‘Oh, my stole!’

Jack hits the brakes, bringing the car to a stop. The headlights catch on the open edges of the entrance gates.

‘We can go back.’

‘No … no … I’ll collect it tomorrow. Let’s just get Dad home.’

‘Here …’ Releasing the wheel, he shrugs off his jacket. ‘Take this.’

‘Are you sure?’

Gwen leans forward, allowing him to drape it around her shoulders. She smiles as she gathers it close.

‘Thank you, Jack.’

They drive in silence the rest of the way, though Jim continues to snore on the back seat. Jack parks the car outside the farmhouse.

‘You go and open up. I’ll bring him in,’ he says.

As Gwen delicately picks her way across the yard to the steps, he yanks open the rear door. Jim mutters in his drink-sodden sleep and offers a meek protest as Jack manoeuvres him from the car and hauls him upright. He positions Jim’s arm over his shoulder and kicks the door shut before lugging him up the steps. Kip appears, tail wagging drowsily, but Jack sends him back to his bed with a gentle word.

By the time he has got Jim up the steps and along the path there is light from the kitchen window and the back door hangs open.

‘Can I help?’ Gwen asks, hovering on the threshold.

‘No, just lead the way. I’ll get him up to bed for you.’