‘I’m sorry you feel he used you, but if he is in love with you, can’t you forgive him? Why was it so important to him, anyway? I’m sure artists don’t finish every painting they begin – I know you don’t.’

It’s not easy talking about this as where do you start when Nico’s story isn’t simple to tell. It took me a long time to understand him.

‘His father never recognised him as a true artist, Hannah. Their styles were very different. For Nico to paint a portrait in the style of the old masters is about validation. As successful as he has become, losing both his parents means that a form of recognition he longs for will never come. Instead, he’s anxious to prove something to himself – that his father wouldn’t have found him lacking.’ I let out a long, slow sigh. ‘Nico wasn’t in love with me; he was in love with a muse and that’s what he’s holding on to.’

‘And now you’re understandably angry. It sounds like he has betrayed your trust, Fern, and that must hurt. Go back and demand that he take your portrait down. You have always been a very private sort of person and clearly he doesn’t know you. If you genuinely feel nothing for him other than compassion, then this is your last hurdle – jump it. If you want me to come with you on this trip, just say the word. Little Rae loves being in the car, although her things will probably fill the boot. But even a feisty Spaniard will quake before two angry women and a wailing baby.’

I smile to myself. It doesn’t seem all that long ago that I was fighting my sister’s battles for her and now here she is, rolling up her sleeves for me. A new mum is not to be messed with and our darling little Rae has brought out Hannah’s protective instincts, fuelled by hormones and that rush of motherly love. She looks like she could take on the world and win.

‘You’re right. It’s time to pay Nico a visit, but I need to confront him alone. He wouldn’t have done it to upset me, his letter is proof of that, but he doesn’t understand how hurtful this is, or how disappointed I am at what he’s done. Isabel said it’s beautiful, but that’s not the point. The point is that I did it for one reason only, because I thought it would help him to heal and it wasn’t never supposed to be a portrait of me.’

There’s a gasp. ‘You already knew the painting was on general display for everyone to see?’