She smiled. ‘Mixed emotions. I know I shouldn’t have placed all my eggs in one basket when we thought Jess was our daughter, but I did, and even though I know it’s not possible, I feel as though she’s mine – her and Dana – which is ridiculous, I know.’

Ted ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. ‘It’s not ridiculous, sweetheart, or if it is then I’m just as guilty, because I was also certain that we’d found our baby girl.’

Olivia nodded. ‘I feel like a ghost parent, if that makes sense?’

‘If you mean you feel like you’re a parent which no one else recognises, then yes, that does make sense. I feel so proud of them both, yet I’ve never met them.’

‘Me too,’ enthused Olivia. ‘Those girls have really beaten the odds and are doing so incredibly well for themselves despite the hand that fate dealt them. I can only hope our daughter’s done as well.’

He shrugged. ‘Perhaps they feel the same way. You’ve an awful lot in common with them regarding nasty fathers.’

Olivia leaned her head against his chest. ‘Two evil so-and-sos, both from Liverpool – I’d never have believed it.’

Ted frowned. ‘I don’t suppose your father had a twin?’

She laughed mirthlessly. ‘No, Ted, he didn’t, but a cousin of his did – but if you’re suggesting his cousin’s twin was in Glasgow the same time as us, with the same dilemma, I think that’s even more far-fetched than some of the theories I’ve come up with.’

He smiled. One of Olivia’s theories had been that she’d had twins and not been aware of the second baby. This, of course, had been dismissed straight away by Ted, who had asked her how anyone could have another baby without knowing.

Olivia thanked the taxi driver as Ted paid the fare and together they made their way into the register office. They asked where they might find Jessica Wilson and Dana Quinn, and the receptionist pointed them in the right direction. ‘You’ll have to be quiet,’ she said, ‘they’ve already started. We’re actually running ahead of time for once.’

Olivia tutted beneath her breath. ‘I really wanted to watch them get married,’ she said to Ted as they hurried down the corridor. ‘I hope we’re not too late for the vows.’

They opened the door as quietly as they could and sat at the back of the room. Olivia was pleased to learn that they hadn’t missed the exchanging of vows, and when it was Jess’s turn to repeat the registrar’s words she caught sight of Olivia and Ted and gave them a small acknowledging wave before nudging Dana, who did the same. An old woman at the front of the room turned in her wheelchair and glared accusingly at Olivia and Ted for causing a distraction.