Ted put the peeler down. ‘Do you think your father’s right? Do you think this might be the end of the road?’

Olivia placed the meat on a chopping board and began to dice it. ‘He always seems to bounce back from whatever life throws at him, but if he continues not to eat, then I very much fear he might be unsuccessful on this occasion.’ She fetched a pan from the hook above the range, added a small amount of lard and lit the stove. ‘I came here ready for battle and I’ve ended up making his tea!’ She put the kettle on to boil whilst she browned the meat in the pan.

‘That’s because you’ve a heart of gold,’ said Ted. He began to dice the rest of the vegetables.

Olivia stirred the meat in the pan. ‘Or a glutton for punishment.’ She took the pan off the heat and began to add the vegetables. ‘I know a lot of people would say he deserved everything he gets, but he’s still my dad, I don’t like to see him looking so poorly.’

Ted helped her place the remainder of the vegetables in the pan. ‘You’re a saint, Olivia Campbell.’

She stared at him. ‘You never call me by my real name.’

‘That’s cos to me you’re still a shy, fun-loving thirteen-year-old, not the grown-up woman you’ve become.’

Olivia gave a wry laugh. ‘So the expanding waistline and lined forehead weren’t a clue?’

He gazed down at her. ‘Only I don’t see either of those things. I still see you as you were.’ He tilted her head so that he could look into her eyes. ‘Your eyes haven’t changed, still sparkling with life and mischief, still full of love and compassion.’

Feeling embarrassed by such praise, she looked away.

‘Don’t ever hide your face because you’re embarrassed to be seen for who you are. There’s nothing wrong with having a big heart and caring for those around you – it’s an admirable quality which too few people possess. You should be proud of yourself.’

‘I don’t think my father would agree with you,’ she said quietly.

‘Your father never appreciated what was right in front of him, and I pity him for that. He might be rich in fortune, but what good is that if you’re poor of heart?’

Olivia poured the boiling water out of the kettle into the pan and put it on to simmer. ‘I wish my father could see things the way you do.’

Ted placed his arms around her shoulders and pulled her in for a cuddle. ‘If he can’t see how wonderful you are, then he must be blind.’

Relaxing into his embrace, Olivia smiled happily. Ted always made her feel good about herself, which was quite an accomplishment considering she had always believed the things her father used to say about her.