‘Joan, my darling.’ Carole’s hand shook as she took Joan’s. ‘This has been the happiest day of our lives. And there is not a chance on this earth that we won’t be coming to visit your mother. Not a chance. You could break both our legs and arms and we’d still roll and wriggle our way to Sherwood Forest.’

‘Well, hopefully you could just get a taxi instead.’

‘That’s a much better idea; we’d do that. But. What I want to say very clearly is that now you’ve found us, we are not going to do anything more behind your mother’s back. But today – oh! – we got to meet you and hear that our girl is alive, and safe, even if she’s not well, and that is more than we dared to dream any more! We will treasure this forever. What an amazing gift, what an incredible feat, finding us like this!’

‘I don’t want to go.’ Joan burst into fretful, exhausted tears. ‘I don’t want to never see you again. It’s not fair, I’ve just found you. Mum really needs you. The shower doesn’t work and we have to borrow Ollie’s washing machine and there’s no money and now she can’t even work to get more and we need you. That’s why I found you. Not for a happy day. I don’t need you to be thinking about me. We need your help!’

As she collapsed against my chest, I tried to give Carole and Peter a look that offered some reassurance. Carole stepped close enough to hand me a Post-it with her phone number on, gesturing for me to call her later as Sam and I gently led Joan back to the car, where she wept until falling into a merciful sleep.

‘Do you want me to come in for a bit?’ Sam asked, when we finally pulled up at End Cottage.

It was nearing dinner time, and part of me wanted nothing more than to keep Sam’s reassuring presence with me for the rest of the evening. I knew he’d help make something to eat, sit nearby while I called Carole to fill her in on the details that hadn’t been appropriate to discuss that afternoon. Pour a glass of wine and maybe even hold my hand while we sat and watched the sunset.