‘Eliza, I know my mother wasn’t welcoming. That she wanted you gone. I’m sorry. She has a particular life in our town, a social standing. I wish she’d been different to you. But she’s an elderly woman. She’s still grieving, still missing my father so much —’ He stopped. ‘If you ever have any other questions, about the photos, about my father, please ring me any time. Text. Write to me at the pub, even. I’ll always get back to you.’

She told him she understood about Sheila. Part of her did. It was enough for her now that Emmet would keep in contact. She thanked him for that. She had one more question.

‘Are you ashamed of me, Emmet? Of my mother? Of what happened?’

He gave it thought. ‘No. I was shocked at first, I can’t lie. But I’ve had time to think about it. The accident in Australia changed things between me and my dad. It changed me too. Not just physically. That one stupid drunken fight could have been the end of my life, before it had really started. If you ask me, any of us are lucky to be here and all of us make errors of judgement. I run a pub. I’ve seen and heard more life stories than I’d have imagined. Some sober, most not. Some good, many not. Who am I to tell people how they should or shouldn’t behave?’

‘Have I ruined your family?’

He briefly smiled. ‘That would suggest it was perfect to begin with. Mine isn’t what you’d call a “normal” family, Eliza, let alone a perfect one. Two of my brothers don’t get on. I also know my mother and Dervla don’t like each other. They try to hide it but . . .’ He shrugged. ‘If you ask me, family life is sometimes more about pretending to get on than actually getting on.’

She had more questions now, but it was time for him to go. She stood up. So did he.

She walked with him to the departures area, to as far as she could go with him. She thanked him again. ‘Not just for coming to see me today. For all you did for my mother.’

‘I’m very glad we met, Eliza.’

‘I am too,’ she said.

She saw tears in his eyes again. She felt like crying too.

‘And we’ll meet again,’ he said.

‘Yes, please,’ she answered.

They hugged goodbye. She stood waiting and watching until he was out of sight.

Chapter Thirty-nine

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

She was in a taxi on her way back to the Montgomery when Lawrence rang. She hadn’t seen him or spoken to him since their brief exchange on the steps two nights earlier.

‘Is everything okay?’

Everything was fine, he said. ‘There was something I wanted to ask you the other night.’