William eyed Ted stoically. ‘I can see why you’d think that, Edward, but I couldn’t force her into doing anything she didn’t want to, including keeping her away from you. It was Olivia’s decision, and I think it was the right one under the circumstances. No husband, fourteen years old, and with a mother who was already ill.’ He leaned on the top of his cane. ‘Babies are hard work and they don’t come cheap. Olivia didn’t always make the right choices, you being one of them.’ He held up a hand to quell Ted’s attempt to protest. ‘I’m not saying you wouldn’t have tried your best, only that your best wouldn’t have been good enough. Think it through – just how would you have cared for a mother and child when you couldn’t even look after yourself properly?’ He turned away. ‘Goodbye, Edward.’

Ted mulled over William’s last comment as he watched the old man enter the house and close the door behind him. He had come here full of defiance but was leaving with his tail tucked well and truly between his legs. He didn’t blame Toff for aborting their baby, and even though he disliked her father intensely, he could see that, for once, the old man had been talking sense when he said that they had both been incapable of bringing up a child. Even though he would have liked to see Toff again, how could he face her knowing that she had gone through hell on her own, because of their mutual indiscretion? He could hardly wipe away the tears which had fallen some sixteen years earlier. His words of apology would be meaningless. Wishing he could have been there to hold her hand and tell her everything was going to be all right wouldn’t help her now. Toff had moved on – he glanced at his wedding ring – and so had he. This thought gave him cause to pause. Her father hadn’t mentioned her being married, which Ted was certain he would have done if that had been the case, because it would have been another reason to discourage Ted from pursuing her. He cursed softly beneath his breath. ‘You’re a married man, daydreaming about a woman you haven’t seen in over sixteen years!’

He’d gone to the Campbells’ looking for answers and, like it or not, he’d got them. Pondering on this, he left the gravelled driveway and turned on to Aigburth Drive. He was sorry for all she had endured, but he should leave her in peace to get on with her future and concentrate on his own marriage instead of chasing rainbows.

Chapter Four

Olivia eyed Maude thoughtfully. ‘What do you think?’

‘About becoming a balloon operator?’ Maude shrugged. ‘I s’pose we could give it a whirl and see how we get on, and Officer …’ she hesitated, ‘What was his name again?’