Cynthia took Gabby from his arms and, holding her close, said gently, ‘Come on, love, drink this up, eh? It’ll make you feel better.’

Gabby did as she was told, and drank the brandy, coughing at the raw taste.

‘There, that will make you feel better, love. Now come on, put your feet on the couch, darling. I’ll make you some hot milk with honey in it, like my mum used to make for me when I was feeling ill. I bet she did it for you too, eh?’

Gabby smiled brokenly and nodded her head.

Twenty minutes later the milk had been drunk and she was asleep. Cynthia looked at Vincent and sighed. ‘She’s taken it bad, Vincent, but it’s to be expected – my mum was more of a mother to her than I ever was.’

Vincent stayed silent; he didn’t know how to answer that statement.

‘Do you want me to take Cherie with me? I can take her to school, the usual – it’s best to keep to a routine with kids. There’s going to be a lot of running about with the funeral to arrange and everything. And, well, my dad isn’t going to be much use, is he? My mother did everything – he can’t even boil an egg.’

It was strange talking to Cynthia like this, she seemed almost normal, caring even. Vincent knew she loved his daughter, of that there could be no doubt. It was just a pity she had never felt like that about either of her own kids.

As if reading his mind, she said, ‘I was never a good mother. I found the kids got on my nerves a lot of the time. I suppose being lumbered with James didn’t help – he was hard work, Vincent. Not that he meant to be, but he was so weak. I had to sort out everything, from the bills to the washing and the cooking. Everything. I think I just wanted to be free, you know? Free of all the responsibilities. And my mum, well, she wanted the kids there all the time, and I got into the habit of letting her have them.’ She smiled and her whole face was transformed. ‘I suppose that’s where Gabby gets her mothering skills from – she certainly didn’t get them from me!’

For the first time ever, Vincent felt himself warming to Cynthia, disarmed by her honesty.