‘Felisa. A lovely girl. Yes, she only had eyes for Freddy. But he never showed any interest in her, always too busy studying his music. Like us, when we were younger . . . Darling, it’s been a long time since we played.’ As she said this, Flors looked wistfully at the grand piano that stood in the corner of the room. It hadn’t been played since the news of Monty had come through.

‘Well, there’s no time like the present. I’ll go and get that violin that I bought, tuned and then hardly played.’

‘Cyrus, shall we practise a few tunes to play at the wedding? I bet Jerome will be playing a tune or two on his ukulele. We can get Mags to make sure there is a piano in the inn where the reception is to take place, so that I can play too. And you can bring your violin.’

‘How will Mags manage to get a piano?’

‘I don’t know, but you know Mags: give her a task and she’ll have it done in an instant. And now that she and Jerome have both retired, she relishes a challenge even more.’

‘Lucky them, retiring when they are still both relatively young. We won’t have that luxury, darling.’

‘Partly we will. Surely the boys, and Paulo, will take on most of the setting up and running of the vineyard.’

‘Oh, I think they should choose what they want to do. You have just mentioned Freddy’s music studies and he may want to pursue a career in that. And Paulo always wanted to be a teacher, a profession that would surely suit his disability better than working in the vineyard?’

‘Oh, I wasn’t thinking. Of course you’re right, darling.’

‘Yes. Arnie and I will get the vineyard up and running again with the help of Randolph – he always loved the work. Maybe he can take over one day. Anyway, I like your idea about playing music at the wedding, but we don’t have long to practise.’

‘I think it’ll all still be there – our talent. We are talented, Cyrus; and yes, it would be so wonderful if Freddy pursued the career we were denied.’

‘That is my thinking exactly. Anyway we all travel up to Scotland next week, so we’d better get started on reawakening that talent. Oh, Flors, it’s going to be so wonderful having the boys there as well. And seeing our darling Marjie and Sibbie and Rosie all get married together – a triple wedding. I can only imagine the frenzy of activity up in Portpatrick. It’s a good job Mags and Jerome have been able to be up there for over six weeks. I don’t think the others would have coped without them. Especially Ella and Arnie, as they have so much catching up to do.’