‘We spent the following Saturday and Sunday traipsing from house to home, watching Pat nuzzle and sniff her offspring. When the day was over, I went back to David’s ground-floor flat and we talked until ten o’clock. I knew I’d be in terrible trouble with my father for being out so late, especially as he had no idea where I was. David sensed this. He said he’d go home with me and talk to my dad, tell him how marvellous I’d been. Terribly brave of him. I mean, my dad could have been a gorilla waving a baseball bat for all he knew.’

When DJ laughed, Shelly’s heart melted. He sounded just like his father. ‘Did he go home with you?’

‘No, I persuaded him I’d be better on my own. David saw me into the bus and asked if I’d meet him at the vet’s the next weekend.’ Shelly smiled, then glanced at her watch. ‘I think we ought to head home,’ she said. ‘I’ve been cooking all morning in your honour; shame if it spoiled.’

*

‘About my father, your grandfather,’ Shelly said in the car as they headed down Lighthouse Lane. ‘Be gentle with him, will you? He’s very nervous about meeting you, and he can get a little . . . grumpy.’

‘He made you give me up. He didn’t want me around. Do you know how that feels?’

Shelly sighed. ‘He did, and that must make you feel unwanted, I understand that.’ She pulled over and turned in her seat. ‘But I want you to understand, he was having a breakdown, going through real mental torture with nobody to support him. He wanted to do the best thing for both of us – for you and me. I know he only ever meant well.’

DJ nodded. ‘Perhaps I should have brought him a bottle of whisky, or something. Does he smoke?’

Shelly shook her head. ‘No. He gave up cigarettes for New Year. He uses a vape, though. Claimed it helps him get over smoking tobacco but now he’s addicted to the vape and gets frantic if he mislays it.’

‘We have something in common, then.’ DJ smiled out of the car window.

‘There’s one other thing. Last weekend, we discovered a bag of stuff that belonged to my great-grandmother. She went off to nurse in the First World War, just after the Battle of Gallipoli around 1916.’

‘Nineteen sixteen, that’s cool. What did you find?’

‘Apart from a nurse’s uniform, we don’t know what’s in there, we thought we’d wait until you arrived and then have a look together.’ They pulled up outside the cottage.

‘Thank you.’ He turned towards her, still smiling. ‘It’s very peaceful around here, isn’t it?’

*