Penny’s heart dropped. She’d always known deep down that she’d been unplanned and this confirmed her suspicions. A major spanner in the works . . .

She tried her hardest not to be hurt by what she was reading; it wasn’t as if her mother sounded disappointed by the news or was rejecting it, but there was no doubt that at that point in her parents’ life she was an unwelcome surprise.

Was that why Ned had always been so aloof towards her? Because until Penny’s appearance all had been going well with just the three of them – him, Anna and little Elle? And then her arrival threw all of their great plans for the hotel into chaos. Then Penny looked to the next paragraph in the passage and felt goosebumps make their way down her arms.

Ned had a suggestion on how to deal with it. And I don’t like this at all. He’s suggested that he sell his first editions. He said he could easily get a good price for them, and that the extra money would help keep us afloat for a while – pay for someone to take over the running of the hotel immediately after the baby comes, and ensure that the new arrival doesn’t disrupt things too much.

She felt all of the air rush from her lungs. Her dad wanted to sell the record collection? she thought, feeling frantic as she read and re-read the last paragraph. ‘Oh Dad no, please say you didn’t . . .’ he skimmed the rest of what her mother had written – she was mostly just agonising over the idea of Ned selling his beloved collection to accommodate her, but there was nothing definite and she felt herself start to relax.

That is, until she got to the next entry. Dated three days later.

Well, it’s done. He sold the lot. Every single record. And he was stoic through it all. But I feel broken-hearted because I know this has been hard on him – and I’m afraid we rushed into so much without thinking it all through. Yes, I know it’s just records. But Ned has been saving up for and collecting these for years throughout his youth, and long before we were married. His first editions were his most prized possessions – and I can see the disappointment in his eyes. It might sound silly, but I believe there is a piece of his soul attached to those records, and of course the songs are so much more than mere songs to Ned – and to me now too. They are poetry, and they have been the backdrop, the soundtrack and chorus to his life – and mine – since I met him. They have been lullabies to Elle since before she was born.