‘Because I want to set the record straight. I don’t want Olivia to think badly of me, even though I can’t do anything to change what happened. I need her to know that I wasn’t the man her father painted me to be.’

Mrs Barnham rested her hand over his. ‘You weren’t a man at all, but a boy, and that’s where the problem lay.’ She turned to face her husband who was still looking furious. ‘It’s not up to us whether Olivia speaks to Ted – only she can make that decision.’

‘He shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near her, Matilda,’ growled Ivor. ‘I don’t see what good can come of it.’

She raised a questioning brow. ‘Do you not? Because I do. Our Liv’s confidence took a real nosedive after this one left. She thought herself incapable of judging someone and started to believe everything her father told her, and look where that got her.’ She sighed. ‘If Ted tells her the truth, she’ll know she didn’t get him wrong. It’s rotten when you can’t trust your own mind.’

‘Well, I’m not giving him her address,’ said Ivor, folding his arms across his chest.

‘You could give her mine?’ suggested Ted.

Mrs Barnham smiled. ‘What a good idea. If you don’t hear from her you’ll know she’s not interested.’

‘That’s good enough for me,’ Ted said. ‘I promise to let bygones be bygones if that’s her decision.’ As he spoke he took a piece of paper from his pocket and began scribbling his details down. He handed it to Mrs Barnham. ‘I promise I won’t bother you again.’

She took the paper from him, before casting her husband a sideways glance. ‘Liv wasn’t the only one who suffered in all this. Ted’s father had to leave his home town because of their naivety.’ She looked at Ted. ‘I daresay your father wasn’t best pleased with you.’

Ted shrugged. ‘As I said, we didn’t know about the pregnancy. According to Campbell, we were being evicted because I’d stolen his precious koi, only I didn’t and my father knows I’m not a thief.’

Ivor looked up. ‘He never mentioned any of his koi going missing, and he would if he really thought someone had stolen them.’

‘There you are!’ said Mrs Barnham reasonably. ‘He blamed Ted in order to get rid of him.’

‘I know he didn’t mention it to anyone else either,’ Ted volunteered. He looked Ivor square in the eye. ‘I really didn’t know, although I understand that’s not much of an excuse.’

Ivor heaved a sigh. ‘What’s done is done.’ He nursed the knuckles on the hand he had used to hit Ted with. ‘Sorry about punching you.’