‘The bloody bitch!’ There was the scraping of a chair and Luke left abruptly, furious, embarrassed, dangerously miserable. He could hardly go to Cordelia, so he lurched outside, where he was promptly sick over the top stone step.

Bartholomew said in the manner of his former days, as a rough, hard-working fisherman, ‘What gives she the bleddy right to speak to my sister like she’s gutter-shit? I’m not having this for Cordelia.’ He left the dining room in indignant anger and went to his sister, his face ugly and contorted.

Oliver, Kane and Jessica remained, all white-faced, speechless, bewildered.

Finally Oliver said, ‘What’s happened to this family? Was it my fault?’

‘It was none but Olivia’s, Father,’ Kane said. ‘She had no right to behave like that. Neither her disappointment over her painting nor her pregnancy is a justifiable excuse.’

Jessica could have said, ‘She doesn’t love Timothy, not in the way she should. Her marriage was a mistake.’ Wisdom kept her mute. She pressed an affectionate hand on Kane’s arm. ‘I’ll go up to Harry and leave you and your father in peace.’

‘There’s very little peace in this house,’ Oliver muttered after she had gone, staring numbly at his empty wine glass. ‘You and Jessica are so fortunate. You were deeply in love before the wedding ceremony and you’re totally in tune with one another. The rest of us,’ he waved a hopeless hand, ‘the rest of us just totter along.’

Kane took a while to speak. ‘You and Mama appear quite reconciled.’

Oliver stared straight ahead. ‘I don’t know if a full reconciliation is possible. You see, Kane, I’ve betrayed her with another woman.’

‘My God!’ Kane put his face in his hands. Not another disclosure of this kind! He couldn’t look his mother in the face without thinking of her lying in bed with Clem Trenchard.

‘Who with? Someone in particular or a harlot?’ Which would be worse? ‘No, don’t tell me. I’d rather not know.’

‘On no account would I mention her name. It was brief, a spur of the moment thing, all over before I returned home. I can’t believe I actually did it, Kane. Unfaithful to your mother. I love her more than my own breath, my own soul. I’d spend eternity in hell if I could only have her back. She’s warming towards me. It’s easier now your godforsaken father-in-law’s out of the way. But what do I do? Confess to her? Pray she’ll forgive me this sin, as well as for nearly killing you and Harry? Should I hope to win her back and say nothing? I’ve used another woman’s body, Kane. How can I go to your mother and… I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be talking to you about such matters. I just wish I knew what to do.