Flynn struggled to speak. He whipped his head to me, then to Mrs Oates, and back to his grandfather. “Jesus.” He dragged a hand down his horrified face. “Are you telling me…?”

“These are not self-inflicted,” confirmed his grandfather in a hushed voice.

Flynn continued to stare at his grandfather’s arms in morbid fascination. “Oh God. You’re saying that Grandma did that to you?”

Flynn senior gave the barest nod.

Flynn rubbed at his shocked face. “Oh shit. I had no idea.” His silver-grey eyes were pre-occupied. “Who else knows? Did you tell anyone else?”

Flynn senior shook his head. “I told you. I couldn’t face telling anyone about it. I was mortified. Too ashamed.”

Flynn blinked over at his grandfather, as though he were seeing him for the first time. A thought sprang into his head. “Hang on. Is that why you made excuses not to see me?”

Flynn senior rolled his shirt sleeves down again. Hurt and embarrassment cluttered in his marine-blue eyes. He struggled to answer. “Yes. I didn’t want my only grandson to see me like that. I wanted you to think of me as a successful artist, not a victim.”

Colour drained away from Flynn’s cheeks. “So, you pushed me away. You pushed all the family away.”

I rubbed at my forehead, almost causing a friction burn.

Flynn senior spoke again. “That was the last thing I wanted to do, but don’t you see? I felt like I had no choice.”

He took a deep breath before speaking again. “Astrid received news of her Africa post just after that Christmas. She was so excited.” He rocked forwards, his hands rubbing his knees as he spoke. “I actually thought the abuse had stopped by then. She hadn’t hurt me for weeks.” He emitted a short, ironic laugh. “I convinced myself she was trying to turn a corner and that was why I decided to give our marriage one more chance. I didn’t want your father caught in the middle of a messy break-up and divorce and I thought that if she really was trying to change, then I at least owed it to your dad to give things a go.”

“So, you decided to go with her to Africa?” asked Mrs Oates, her voice hushed.

“Yes. It was just for twelve months.”

“And Lily?” ventured Flynn.

His grandfather’s face was torn. “I felt wretched about her. I had made so many promises to her.” He shook his silvery head. “Lily was the most beautiful woman, inside and out. She had no idea about the abuse. When we were together, I always made sure I covered my arms or that the lighting was to my advantage. I didn’t want her to see.” He swallowed back the painful memories. “How could I tell her? It would have made me look pathetic.”