‘Well … I’ve had my share of hospitals lately too.’

‘You’re ill? And you didn’t tell me?’

‘I did try to call.’

‘Yeah. Once. I saw the missed call, but you didn’t leave a message, did you? Or try again? If it had been really important …’

The door to the spare room opened then, stopping their conversation dead, and Stuart came out, rubbing his eyes. ‘Oh, sorry, Madi. Don’t mean to intrude. Just going to put the kettle on and make Faith a cuppa, if that’s okay?’

Madi nodded. ‘Of course.’

‘We’ll be out of your hair soon, back to the hospital.’

‘No rush. This is my son, George. George, this is Stuart, Prue’s dad. You know, the poor girl who was attacked.’

‘Right. Morning, Stuart. Horrible business. I hope she’s better soon.’ George sank back into his chair and waited until Stuart had made two mugs of tea and disappeared back into the spare room and closed the door.

‘Who exactly are these people, Mum? Why are they here? Why was their daughter here?’

‘It’s a long story.’

‘Well, I’m not going anywhere.’ He leaned forward and took hold of her hand. ‘Start at the beginning, and don’t leave anything out.’

‘So, my dad was her dad too? This Suzy? I have a big sister you’ve never thought to mention?’

‘Half-sister. And what would have been the point? He didn’t want us. He saw us as an inconvenience, a potential stain on his reputation. He wanted to hide us away. And his other women too, apparently, whoever they might have been. I hardly think his wife and daughter would have been keen to welcome any of us into the family, do you?’

‘And now?’

‘You should have seen her, George. As far as Suzy’s concerned, I’m public enemy number one.’

‘Well, you have no reason to hate her back, do you? And I certainly don’t. Since we lost Gran and Grandad, apart from Jess, I’ve only had you, and you have to admit our relationship hasn’t always been as close as it could have been. Not your fault, I know you did your best for me, but, God, Mum, you could have died from your cancer and I would never have even had the chance to say goodbye. What on earth were you thinking, keeping that from me? I would have had no one then, would I? Even Jess had left me. But now she’s back, you’re recovering and, right out of the blue, I have another family. A sister, and a nephew, living right here. It’s a lot to take in. Weird. I mean, do they know I even exist?’

‘I don’t suppose they do. Your father was keen to keep us under wraps, so he won’t have told them I was pregnant. Or told anyone at all, for that matter.’

‘Do they look anything like Dad? Or like me?’

‘I haven’t really had time to think about that, or to notice …’

‘Family ties matter, Mum. What’s in our genes, our blood. Thinking I might never have children of my own has shown me that. I’d like to meet them.’