She’d loved being at the hotel when she was there with Edgar, she told them. But for the past three years, it had just made her sad. Alex and Rory felt the same way. Alex wanted to concentrate on the hostel. Deirdre’s initial legal advice was that the hostel could be separate to any sale of the main hotel. Rory wanted to do his puzzles full-time. He had shared some other big news too: he and Milly were having a baby.

‘I’m going to be a grandmother!’ Olivia said. She started crying. Maxie did too.

Eliza did her best to pretend that this was news to her too.

She shared her own news after that. Firstly, that she had decided to go home to Australia at the end of the week. Her godmothers reacted exactly as she expected. They didn’t want her to leave yet. They put up persuasive arguments for her to stay. Listened to her good reasons for going home. Finally, they told her that they understood.

They were more surprised by her second piece of news. That she had phoned Emmet in Ireland again. That he had offered to come to Edinburgh to see her before she left. Just for the day.

‘I’d like you both to meet him again one day. I really hope you will. But I think it’s better if it’s just him and me for now. There’s so much we need to talk about. I hope you understand.’

She was relieved when they told her they did.

Two days later, Eliza was at Edinburgh Airport, waiting for the midday flight from Dublin to arrive.

She gazed around her, at the bright lights, the shops, the cafés. She’d be back here again in three days, trying to prepare herself for that journey home. It felt like a long way off yet.

Her phone beeped. Sullivan playing a new word in their latest Scrabble game. She’d told him she was going home soon. He’d instantly replied.

Hurrah, I’ll be home soon too!!! See you in Melbourne! (We will keep in touch, won’t we???????)

Of course! she’d written back.

Since then, he’d been sending suggestions for their outings. The Lemur Island exhibit at Melbourne Zoo. The cinema. He also had a growing interest in leafy sea dragons, he’d told her. There were apparently some excellent specimens at the Melbourne Aquarium.

Passengers started to emerge from the Dublin flight. Emmet appeared. At first, they smiled at each other. Then he stepped forward and hugged her.

‘Thank you for coming,’ she said.

‘Thank you for phoning me,’ he said.