His voice dropped to a reasonable tone, but the expression in his eyes remained as furious as before. ‘I can’t begin to understand why you agreed to marry that man. Don’t kid yourself we are ever going to be pleased if you insist on staying with him.’

‘Here we go again. You never wanted me to marry him. You and my mother, you never approved of him, did you? But be honest, for once, this isn’t about me and my happiness, is it? You don’t think he’s good enough to be your son-in-law.’

Anne stood up, flustered and trembling.

‘Stop shouting, please, both of you. They must be able to hear you halfway down the road. David, what’s got into you? Keep your voice down, for goodness’ sake. Do you want the whole street to know we’re fighting here?’

She stared at her husband and her daughter, aghast. David was on his feet, red in the face and sweaty, looking like he might have a stroke at any moment, while Jessica stood facing him, her fists clenched at her sides as though she was preparing to launch a physical assault on her father. Watching them, Anne let out an involuntary whimper. David spun round and frowned at her.

‘What’s the matter with you now?’ he demanded, turning the full force of his temper on her.

‘Stop it, both of you!’ she cried out. ‘Listen, I know we’re all feeling frazzled, but how is this going to help the situation if you two fall out? Don’t you think Jessica needs all the support we can give her right now? We all do,’ she added plaintively, staring at David.

Jessica whirled round and dashed out of the room, and they heard her footsteps pounding up the stairs.

Anne turned to her husband. ‘Arguing like this isn’t helping. David, Jessica’s upstairs crying. I’m going to speak to her.’

‘I’ll go –’ David began but Anne interrupted him.

‘You’ve already upset her enough for one day. You stay here and I’ll go.’

With that she scurried out of the room, leaving David muttering darkly under his breath that he wasn’t the one who had upset his daughter.

‘One day you’ll go too far,’ Anne called out over her shoulder as she left the room.

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ he replied.

After about an hour, Anne returned. ‘I’ll put the kettle on and make us all a nice cup of tea,’ she said.

‘That’s your answer to everything, isn’t it? A cup of tea. Is a cup of tea going to help us find Daisy?’ David replied.