But when Paula turned to her mum beside her for confirmation, a chill travelled the length of her spine. Jeanie’s mouth was trembling, like she wanted to cry. Her eyes were bloodshot and bruised-looking. And her body was held rigid, arms tightly folded about her own waist as if it was all that kept her from crumbling to pieces. Even an optimist like Paula had to admit that the signs did not appear promising.

Her brothers appeared every bit as dumbstruck as Paula. ‘For real?’ Stephen asked dazedly, but their dad was still talking. There was more. There was worse.

‘And I found out yesterday . . .’ Harry looked down at his hands, briefly clenching them in his lap, before detonating a second explosive, ‘there’s a daughter. A half-sister to you all.’

‘What the—’ cried John, rising in his seat. His eyes bulged as he swung round towards Jeanie, desperate for one parent to start talking sense. ‘Mum, is this true? It’s not, is it?’

Jeanie pressed her lips together very tightly, and Paula felt her heart fracture at the pain on her mother’s face. ‘It’s true,’ Jeanie confirmed, her chin wobbling.

‘Oh, Mum,’ Paula said immediately, putting an arm around her as if trying to protect her from the blow. Jeanie was never usually one to wear her heart on her sleeve like this. A piano teacher for years and years, she’d get a bad mood or disappointment out of her system by playing certain thunderous pieces, chords crashing until she felt better. Rachmaninov’s Prelude in C-sharp Minor for your average annoyance. Chopin’s ‘Revolutionary Etude’ for the rare occasions when she was truly cross. And yet now look at her, so completely devastated she seemed beyond the point of playing a single note.

‘Look, I’m very sorry, of course I am,’ Harry went on, looking wretched. ‘I’m so sorry. But I had absolutely no idea this girl – this woman, rather – even existed until yesterday.’

‘Well, who is she?’ Paula blurted out, rounding on him. ‘And how come she’s just turned up now? On your anniversary, of all days?’

‘She came to the party,’ Jeanie said, her voice catching.

‘To the party? What, you invited her, Dad?’ Even Dave, usually the most mild-mannered and laidback of the siblings, sounded incredulous.

‘No! She came here first, apparently, and Lynne next door told her we were in the hall . . .’ Harry was a picture of agitation, shifting in his seat as if he’d rather be anywhere else. ‘It was all very unexpected. To be fair, I think she felt pretty bad about the circumstances—’

Stephen snorted. ‘Clearly not that bad, if she turned up anyway. To your anniversary party. God!’