Flynn senior rivered a hand through his hair so that it slipped back off his face in a silvery sweep. “I made sure Astrid received her settlement from the supposed sale of the house – or so she thought. I insisted I deal with the selling off of the furniture, so she wouldn’t get suspicious or find out.” His mouth flipped into a brief, ironic smile. “Astrid was so greedy and anxious to get her hands on the cash that she wasn’t interested in anything else. She didn’t want to be bothered with the likes of solicitors or organising the removal of furniture.”

“But why?” I asked. “Why didn’t you want to sell Merry Wood? Because of Lily?”

“In a word, yes. I had all the plans laid out that we would live there together with Carl. Once Astrid reverted back to her old ways again, I knew I couldn’t stay married to her a moment longer. I had been deluding myself that she could change.”

He let his shoulders rise and fall. “I loved Lily. I always did.”

“So, what happened, Mr Talbot?” asked Mrs Oates, entranced. “Why didn’t you end up with Lily?”

A flicker of pain and confusion took over Flynn senior’s eyes. “You would have to ask her that. When we returned from Africa and I knew the divorce was going ahead, I went to see Lily straight away, but she refused to speak to me. She told me via her husband that she had decided she wanted to make a go of it with Bernard.”

I allowed this revelation to sink in. “Well, she might well have told you that, but it doesn’t change the fact that Lily is still living in that cottage opposite Merry Wood.”

Flynn senior looked like he had been stung. He made a strangulated noise. “What?! That can’t be. Are you sure?”

“Yes. We’re sure.” I pushed a gentle smile towards him.

All our eyes were trained on Flynn senior’s stunned reaction. He let out a long, low breath as he considered this. “I don’t believe it. After all these years.”

His gaze drifted past my shoulder. “She didn’t leave. She stayed there.” He flushed a hot pink. “After Bernard told me Lily wanted nothing more to do with me, I couldn’t face the prospect of going back there. It meant nothing without her and yet letting go of that house would have meant letting go of her – and I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

“Would you like to see her?” I asked.

He stared back at me, his mouth forming a shocked O shape. His attention darted to Flynn and to Mrs Oates.

He took a gulp of air, reconciling this piece of news. Then he gave a brief nod and a shaky smile. “Oh yes, I want to see Lily. My Lily. More than anything.”