‘So do I. He never met me, or even told me he existed,’ Jack said.

Petter looked confused. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘You probably have all sorts of questions. Feel free to ask me, and I’ll answer as best I can.’

Jack couldn’t help being charmed. ‘Thank you. I’ll do that. Want me to take that bag for you?’

‘God, no, I’m perfectly capable of carrying it myself. It’s just books for the children,’ Petter said.

‘You grew up on the island, didn’t you?’ Jack let Petter take the lead.

‘Yes, right in this house. Agnar and I spent a lot of time together, although he was a few years older than me. There weren’t many other children here when I grew up. My father died when I was young and I didn’t have any siblings. Agnar became more like my older brother than a neighbour.’

Jack thought of something. ‘Why didn’t Agnar leave the farm to you? He didn’t know me. He never even met me.’

‘That I can’t tell you but, for one thing, he knew I would never be much of a farmer. Agnar promised his mother before she died that he would keep the farm in the family. Unfortunately, he never married.’ Petter smiled, as if he’d suddenly thought of something. ‘You know, I remember being surprised he didn’t seem worried about what would happen to the farm after he passed away. It must have been because he had you.’

Jack looked around. The landscape they were walking through didn’t look anything like London. There were a few windswept spruce trees, juniper bushes and lots of grass and wildflowers.

‘What I don’t understand is why Agnar never contacted me. He obviously knew where I lived, what I do for a living. He even knew when my mother died.’

Petter shook his head. ‘I don’t know. Agnar was a hermit, if that’s the right word, and got even more of a recluse as he got older.’

‘Was he always like that?’

‘More or less, especially after he returned and settled on the island once his parents passed away.’

‘What was he like?’ Jack hadn’t asked anyone about Agnar, but now he wanted to know more.

‘He drank too much about twice a year, loved this island and he could be funny when he was in the right mood. But he was lonely.’

Jack looked at him. ‘Why did he never get married?’

‘I asked him once, shortly after Ninni was born and I thought everyone should have a family,’ Petter said. ‘He said he had been in love once, it didn’t work out and he never wanted to go through that sort of thing again. When I pressed him on it, he said he’d had to choose between the island and this girl. And he didn’t think she’d be happy here. She was a big city girl. I always assumed it was someone in Bergen. He hated cities. He even avoided Haugesund.’ Petter looked at him. ‘Now, I’m thinking she must have been your mother.’