He sighed. ‘But life moves on. We both found other people to love. Rosie . . .’ He smiled fondly as he thought of his wife and said, with modesty, ‘Evidently Rosie had always loved me and I found I could love her too. Perhaps not in the same way I once loved Kate. Differently, maybe, but just as much. I’m so lucky,’ he murmured, ‘that because Rosie loved Kate too, she’s always understood.’ He paused and then ended softly, ‘So now, you know it all.’

Not quite, Ella mused, but she kept her thoughts to herself. I still don’t know who my father is. As they turned away and, with one last silent farewell to her mother, headed back towards the car, an idea began to form in her mind, growing until it became a pledge.

One day, she vowed, I’ll find my dad.

Twenty-Four

When they walked through the back door of Brumbys’ Farm and into the kitchen, they found Esther sitting at the kitchen table, her arms resting on the scrubbed surface, gazing into the distance as if she, too, were taking a trip back in time. Slowly she lifted her head and her eyes focused on the present again, on Danny and Ella. They stared at each other for a long time, and, suddenly, the young girl thought she caught a glimpse of a strange expression in the older woman’s face; one she had never expected to see. It was fleeting, yet she was sure she had seen it; a silent plea for understanding. It was gone in an instant and the resentment was back.

Danny, trying to warm the icy atmosphere, sat down on the other side of the table. ‘Get that kettle singing, Ella lass,’ he said, but his gaze never left Esther’s face. ‘I’m fair parched after all that yakking.’

‘Aye, I should think there’s been plenty of that!’ the older woman said acidly.

Danny reached across and took her wrinkled hands in his. ‘I told it fairly, Missus.’

‘Ya’d have done better to hold ya tongue altogether, Danny Eland.’ There was a pause, then she added with grudging reluctance, ‘Still, if she had to be told, then I’d rather it be you do the telling than anyone else.’

As Ella turned away and busied herself over the hob, she heard her grandmother ask softly, ‘Did she say owt?’ and Danny, equally quietly, answered, ‘Not much. But then, it’s a lot to sink in all at once.’

At that moment they all heard the rattle of the back door and Jonathan came into the kitchen, filling the room with his gentleness. He sat down at the table and a few moments later when Ella set cups of tea before them, they were all chatting, the tension lifted by Jonathan’s presence.