She nodded. ‘There’s a cheese and pickle sandwich for your lunch and the rest of last night’s scouse for your supper. All Annie has to do is heat it up.’

He pulled a disapproving face. ‘Tell her I’ll be checking it thoroughly.’

She sighed. ‘I will. Now I really must dash, because the taxi’s probably already here.’

She arrived downstairs to see Ted waiting anxiously for her in the doorway. ‘About time, the driver’s starting to get impatient.’ He picked up their bags and took them to the taxi. ‘How’s your father?’

‘The same as yesterday. He told me to tell Annie he’d be checking the food I prepared for him, but other than that he was actually quite helpful. He wrote down the name and street of the crem so that we’d find it easily. Mind you, he only did it so that we’d be back quickly, I’m not going to kid myself that he did it for our benefit.’

Ted opened the rear door of the taxi for Olivia, then headed round to the other side.

‘Who knows? Maybe he’s realised it’s time to appreciate you.’ He instructed the driver to take them to Lime Street Station.

‘But that’s enough talk about my father,’ said Olivia. ‘Let’s talk about our trip. How do you feel, now that we’re on our way?’

‘Apprehensive, nervous and relieved that we’re finally going to reach some kind of conclusion. You?’

‘Same,’ said Olivia.

The driver pulled up beside the steps to the platforms and waited for Ted to pay the fare. In the station, they checked that the train sitting idle on the tracks was theirs, then headed for the nearest carriage, which was empty. Ted indicated the door. ‘Ladies first.’

Olivia entered the carriage, took a seat by the window and waited for Ted to join her. A few minutes later, the train blew its whistle signalling its imminent departure. Olivia looked out as the train gathered momentum. If she was truthful, going to Glasgow was a grim reminder of her past, something she’d rather forget. Her hopes were that this trip would draw a line under something which was over a long time ago but had been hanging over her ever since.

The train journey was tedious with many stops, lots of changes, and frustrated passengers who had either missed their connections or boarded the wrong train.

‘Well, that was an absolute farce,’ said Ted as they eventually pulled into Central Station in Glasgow. ‘I’m glad the forces are better organised than the railways.’

Olivia yawned sleepily. ‘I feel like a shuttlecock in a game of badminton.’

‘I can’t believe we’ve got to go through it all again tomorrow!’ Ted complained. ‘I’ll need a break to get over this one.’