Isabelle opened her mother’s bedroom door, with Luke close behind her. She looked around the room and at her mother lying listless in her bed, rasping for breath. Archie – her father, and the man Charlotte had loved all her life – sat by her side holding her hand, his face tired and full of pain as he felt each shallow breath that his beloved wife took.

Dr Burrows patted Isabelle’s hand and shook his head as she went and sat down at the bottom of the bed, next to her stepbrother Danny, who smiled at her and put his arm round her as she started to cry.

‘I’m glad you are here, Izzy. Mother would be happy that we are all here together,’ he whispered.

Isabelle smiled and wiped back the tears that trickled down her cheeks. She loved her mother so much – how could she carry on without her?

‘No, tears, our lass, she wouldn’t want you to be sad.’ Archie looked across at his daughter. ‘She’s had a good life; she’d be the first to say that.’ He bent over and kissed her mother Charlotte on her brow and ran his hand around her pale face. ‘She hasn’t felt right this last week or two; she knew her health were failing and she hoped that she wasn’t going to be bedridden.’ Archie looked over at his dying wife. ‘I’m right, aren’t I, lass – that wouldn’t be for you?’

‘If I could do more, I would, but her heart is weak. She will not make nightfall.’ The ageing Dr Burrows looked at the heartbroken family around him and thought about his own mortality. He’d seen many a body in and out of the world, but the death of Charlotte Atkinson hurt him as if she were his own. She’d always been a fighter, and now the fight in her was worn out and he couldn’t help but think he was heading the same way.

Isabelle touched his hand. ‘Thank you, Doctor, we know you have done all you can; there’s nothing more that can be done by anybody.’

Charlotte breathed in deeply, causing all the family to look at her. The beautiful grey-haired woman whimpered, held her breath for a second and then, with quiet serenity, breathed a long sigh and silently passed from one world to the next, as if she had just been given permission from Isabelle and from the Lord above.

Dr Burrows rushed to her side and checked for signs of life, as Archie broke down in tears, his head in his hands. He’d lost the love of his life, his darling Lottie.

‘Don’t cry, Grandad. You said yourself that Grandma wouldn’t want us to.’ Jane placed her arms around her grandfather, whom she loved dearly. ‘You’ve still got all of us.’