She nodded, her picture still behind her back as she followed him to the middle of the room. He put the box down in front of her and Lumin’s eyes lit up as she took in the picture on the outside.

‘An easel!’ she said. ‘They have one of those at school. I love it.’

‘Phew!’ Dylan said. ‘I wasn’t sure what you’d like.’

Lumin bit her lip then pulled her painting from behind her back and handed it to Dylan. ‘For you.’

He stared at it, eyes alight. ‘You did this?’

Lumin nodded. ‘Mummy said you make things with wood so I thought you’d like trees. She said you’re really good.’

Dylan’s eyes met mine then he looked back down at his daughter. ‘It’s beautiful. I used to draw lots when I was young too.’ His eyes strayed to my notepad, which was lying on the side, some of his sketches within it.

‘Will you draw something for me?’ Lumin asked Dylan.

‘Only if you draw another picture for me.’

Lumin smiled. ‘We can have a drawing competition!’

‘Sounds great. Shall I unpack the easel and we can do it on there?’

‘Yes!’ Lumin said, jumping up and down and clapping her hands. Dylan laughed. I didn’t remember hearing him laugh like that, with such delight.

‘I’ll get on with dinner,’ I said, backing away. ‘I’m looking forward to seeing the end results.’

As I prepared dinner, I watched them from the kitchen, feeling a riot of emotions, mainly guilt. They seemed so alike, which made it worse. By the time dinner was ready and I laid it out, they were both chatting away. Dylan asked Lumin questions about school, the village, her favourite films and more. I could see he was trying to fill in the jigsaw pieces of the past years he’d missed out on. I watched his handsome earnest face and Lumin’s smile, promising myself I would make up for this by ensuring he played a role in his daughter’s life from now on.

When it was time for Lumin to go to bed, I let him read a story to her. He came down, looking wiped out. ‘Jesus, this is just so surreal. I feel like I’d know she was mine a mile away, you know,’ he said, face animated. ‘She looks like me, you’re right. And her mannerisms, some of them remind me of Alfie. There’s definitely McClusky in her.’ His face darkened. ‘Not that that’s always a good thing. Hopefully she got all the best parts.’

I thought of what I’d overheard him and Cole talking about all those years back, the dark secret they all kept.

‘I booked my hotel for a week,’ Dylan said, interrupting my thoughts. ‘I’d love to visit, maybe even take her out for the day on Saturday?’