‘Not at all. It’s a good example. It just goes to show, no matter how much you plan, it can still all go wrong. So why take the risk?’ He took a bite of fried bread to punctuate the sentence.

‘To be happy?’ his sister shot back. ‘To have someone else to enjoy life with?’

‘I enjoy life plenty. And I don’t need a shindig or a piece of paper to tell me I’m allowed to.’

‘Of course you don’t, but it’s another level of commitment.’

‘Or another level of pain.’

The conversation had taken on an unexpected intensity as the words bounced back and forth like a high-stakes tennis match across the scrubbed pine of the family dinner table.

‘Not everyone is Siobhan, Lorcan. You know that,’ she said, her eyes momentarily flicking to me.

‘No, that’s true. She’s definitely one of a kind.’ His usually warm, soft voice was suddenly cold and hard-edged, laced through with bitterness.

‘Don’t you think it’s time you let it go?’

‘You’re on her side now?’

‘Don’t be an eejit. Of course I’m not. But it was a long time ago and you’re giving something that should be in the past too much power over your future. Your happiness.’

‘I’m plenty happy, thank you very much.’

‘Are you now?’

‘Yep. And all without a bit of paper.’

‘Or a steady woman by your side.’

‘Again, I don’t need a piece of paper for that either. Not everyone’s as set on traditional relationships as you are, Roísín.’ His hand reached for mine beneath the table but I moved it to my lap, lacing them together. The food I’d eaten was now sitting leaden in my stomach and I was concentrating on ensuring that it didn’t pay a second visit. From the corner of my eye, I saw his head turn towards me before looking back at his plate.

‘No, I know that,’ Roísín agreed.