‘Dad, I’ve got my painting and friends and…’

‘We wondered if you would think about coming to live in Cyprus, near us, darling. You can get wonderful villas with a pool.’

‘Dad, that’s a lovely thought, but my life is in London.’ Her father nodded. ‘I suppose you’re too young to bury yourself. It was just a thought. I miss you, Fleur.’

‘I miss you too, Dad.’ She looked at his face. ‘Oh God! Sam has told you, hasn’t he?’

‘Don’t be angry. I’m so glad he did. You see, I wondered…’

‘Did you?’

‘Yes. But then David married you and you were so happy I knew I must have got it wrong. We did have homosexuals in the army, more than you would suspect. But they didn’t usually marry or come out. I guess if they were ambitious they were discreet and then they just got more like crotchety old women, like we all do…’

Fleur smiled. ‘Not you, Dad.’

‘I thought when Sam told me, what if I’d warned you, even if you’d been furious with me. But you see, Fleur, I had no real evidence, it was just a feeling.’

‘I wouldn’t have listened, Dad. I’d have thought you were making it up. You know what David was like with a room full of women, he could take his pick.’

Hearing her mother moving about, Fleur said quickly, ‘Does Mum know?’

‘No, but I think she should know…for obvious reasons I won’t go in to…’

‘Dad, I don’t want her to feel guilty, it’s a long time ago and she’s old and frail.’

Laura came out of the bathroom in a pretty, flowery dressing gown, smelling lovely. ‘Not that frail, Fleur.’ She put her vanity case on the dressing table and Fleur saw how carefully she was made up. Too carefully. Had she been crying?

Laura met her daughter’s eyes. ‘I overheard Sam and your father last night. They thought I was asleep.’ She sat on the end of the bed, facing Fleur. ‘To say it was a shock would be a vast understatement and I deserved to hear it in the way I did, with no preamble or forewarning. I’m not a frail old woman, Fleur, but a wicked, wicked one who rushed to judgement and never even considered she might have got it wrong. Not only did I judge you, I judged Fergus…’

She bit her lip. ‘You see, I never thought for a moment you had it in you to be so brave or loyal, to keep silent for a lifetime. And now this, with Saffie…Look at you, still so brave, with a frightening strength and dignity.’

She held out her hands in a misery so abject Fleur could not bear it. ‘I have the most lovely, talented daughter with a gift for loving beyond anything I am capable of, and instead of recognising that, I have spent years blaming you and I’ve lost you.’

Fleur took Laura’s hands and held them. ‘Mum, you haven’t lost me. I’m still here, as I’ve always been. I don’t blame you. How could you understand something I wasn’t prepared to disclose?’