Adam produced his passport and was amused by how closely his companion studied it, and then compared him and his highly unflattering photo.

With a nod, the manager eventually pushed the passport back across the table. ‘If you’ll just read this release form before you sign it?’

Adam didn’t allow himself to sigh aloud at the sight of two pages of small print, but did as he was asked and started to work his way through the ifs and buts. No way was he stupid enough to sign something without checking what was in it first.

Only after the manager had witnessed his signature was the large envelope pushed across to him. Scrawled across the front of it was his name.

‘Can you now verify that it contains the material you wanted, please?’

Adam had had enough. ‘I have no idea what material it contains until I study the contents. I asked Mr Topham to find something out for me and have no idea what he discovered.’

‘Ah. I see. Perhaps you could just glance at the contents, then, to check whether they seem to be what you were expecting?’

Adam tipped the contents of the envelope out on the table any old how, amused to see his companion wince at this cavalier treatment.

He scanned some of the papers and could see that they concerned Dorothy Dobson née Redman. There was the old photo of her that he’d sent to Topham, but no photo of what she looked like now, so presumably the detective hadn’t found her.

‘They look about right.’ He shoved the papers back into the envelope, causing his companion to wince again. ‘Is that it?’

‘Yes, Mr Torrington. I hope you find what you’re looking for.’

Adam hoped so too. He went outside to rejoin Gemma.

‘Did the detective discover anything, Dad?’ she asked loudly.

‘We’ll go back to the hotel and discuss it in private.’

She sighed as if he was treating her badly, but didn’t say anything else till they reached the hotel.

Once back in his room Adam prevented Gemma from grabbing the envelope. ‘Let’s treat these papers gently, eh?’

They spread them out on his bed and he immediately found a copy of the marriage certificate itself: Dorothy Redman had married Lionel Dobson a couple of months after she’d written to Adam in Australia. Dobson had a Frank Dobson listed on the certificate as his father and the marriage was witnessed by Edward Redman, father of the bride.

‘Dorothy’s father was called Ted,’ Adam said. ‘So that fits. I didn’t take to the fellow at all.’

‘She married quickly for someone who was supposed to love you,’ Gemma said.

‘Yes. I wonder why.’

‘The baby. And he must have known it wasn’t his.’

‘Yes.’

‘Do you think she loved him?’

‘How do I know? I’ve never met him.’

‘Well, I’d not have done that if I’d been in love with someone else.’

He ruffled her hair. ‘No. And no one would dare try to make you, either.’