He nodded. ‘I’ll be home for dinner though – I’m only meeting Patrick to sort out a few bits and pieces. Nothing really important. Let’s watch a film tonight, eh? Open a bottle of wine.’

Josephine laughed at his deliberate nonchalance. He was trying to make everything better and she loved him for that. ‘That sounds good to me, Michael.’

‘It’s a date, then.’

Josephine leant against the granite worktop, and sipped her tea. She was never happier than when they were like this, easy in each other’s company, and without the spectre that she felt was between then. No matter what Michael did or said to reassure her, she knew that, as much as he loved her, they were both aware of the void in their lives.

She swallowed down the sadness inside her. Michael couldn’t cope when she felt like this, and he wouldn’t leave her on her own if he thought she was obsessing about their life together and how she had let him down. He was so good to her, and she knew how lucky she was to have a man like him.

‘Go on, get yourself off, Michael. I’m cooking a lamb casserole for us tonight, so ring me and let me know what time to expect you.’ She kissed him softly, and walked with him to the front door.

He hugged her tightly to him, and she could feel the love he had for her. But instead of making her feel secure, all she felt was her failure as a wife. As he pulled out of the driveway, she closed the door and, leaning against it, she exhaled wearily. It was getting harder and harder to keep up her act.

The house was huge – much too big for just the two of them – but when they had bought it, they had assumed that they would be filling it with their children. Sons and daughters that they could love, cherish. They had meticulously planned for the big family they had both wanted. They had picked out names for the children-to-be, even chosen schools. They had never once allowed for the fact that she might miscarry each of those children, one after the other, with shocking frequency.

But she had done just that, lost every one in a blaze of blood and pain. It was so unfair. She had seen every doctor available, they had spent thousands of pounds, and they were still childless. Josephine was unable to keep a child alive in her womb for any length of time.