Charlotte’s eyes filled with tears. ‘I know. But you have Ben and Emma and they will be there for you. You aren’t alone, I promise you.’

Jo swallowed away the lump in her throat. ‘Thank you for coming, Charlie, it means a lot.’

Charlotte shook her head. ‘We all loved Peter. There is no way we wouldn’t have been here today.’

Jo smiled gratefully. ‘Please make sure you sit with us at the front. We’d all appreciate it.’

Charlotte’s eyes flickered uncertainly. ‘Are you sure? We wouldn’t want to take anyone else’s seat …’

‘No, Mum’s right,’ said Ben, appearing at their side. ‘You should sit with us. It would really help, especially Emma,’ he added, his eyes sliding towards Emma, who was now crying piteously, as one of her aunts comforted her.

‘OK.’ Charlotte gave Jo’s hand another squeeze before stepping back. ‘We’ll see you in there.’

It was a small country church and by the time they took their seats, it was already packed, with many people standing in the side aisles and along the back. Jo looked at Ben, who was staring straight ahead, apparently stoical, but the pulsating muscle in his cheek gave away how stressed he was. Bella sat to his right, holding Elodie, who was gazing around her in puzzlement. Bella’s expression was outwardly blank but Jo could tell she was simmering about something beneath the surface.

To Jo’s left, Emma was weeping openly, while Charlotte rubbed her back rhythmically. Matt and Freya sat in the pew directly behind them and Matt also placed a comforting hand on Emma’s shoulder. Matt had known Peter since he was a young boy, so she was glad of his presence today, knowing he was one of the few people who would really understand how Ben and Emma were feeling. She hoped it would bring them closer together again, as she got the sense that they seemed to have become slightly estranged recently.

She sighed and looked again at Bella, who was now gently rocking Elodie to sleep in her arms. She was the picture of contented motherhood, with a look of deep and genuine love in her eyes, as she gazed down at her baby girl. But when she looked up and caught Jo’s eye, her expression changed subtly but noticeably to one of dislike. For the millionth time, Jo wondered what she had done to provoke such a reaction in her daughter-in-law.

As the church was filled with the first few bars of Peter’s favourite hymn, ‘I Watch the Sunrise’, everyone stood and Jo turned to the front, her thoughts now focused on just him.

As the vicar invited Ben to give the eulogy, he stood up shakily and made his way to the lectern. After swallowing several times, he started to speak. ‘My dad was my best friend,’ he began in a trembling voice. ‘He never, ever let me down and was always there when I needed him.’ He paused, trying to recover his composure. ‘And I honestly don’t know how any of us are going to cope with losing him.’ Tears rolled down his cheeks and when he opened his mouth to speak again, he emitted a loud sob, before breaking down completely.