Rhona knew she should, but she hadn’t. If she did, how could she ask the question she most wanted the answer to? Why did you not tell me?

They were at the back of the jazz club, cutting down the path onto Ashton Lane. The evening was spring warm, and some folk were brave enough to sit at the rear outside tables.

‘No way,’ Chrissy informed Rhona when she saw her looking over at them.

Heading downstairs, Rhona asked Chrissy to order the usual while she went to check if Sean was about. They hadn’t spoken to one another since the night he’d stayed over – although her real reason for seeking him out was to find out if Liam had been in touch with Sean, and he hadn’t got round to telling her.

She found the office empty but heard sounds from the back room where artists hung out before performances.

‘Sean,’ she called and waited. If whoever was playing tonight was in there, she didn’t want to just walk in unannounced.

The door opened and Sean, looking surprised at her appearance, said, ‘We were just talking about you.’

‘Who’s we?’ Rhona said, noting what she read as his slight discomfort.

Sean threw open the door for her to see.

‘Liam?’

The tall figure of her son stepped forward. ‘Hi, Rhona. I just got in from the airport. Thought the chances were you’d come here after work.’

‘You never said you were coming back,’ she heard herself saying.

‘A sudden decision,’ he said.

‘Why don’t we head upstairs and get a drink?’ Sean said.

It was always thus, Rhona thought. Sean coping when she couldn’t. Part of her longed to ask Liam why he hadn’t told her of his arrival when obviously Edward knew, but she managed to restrain herself. Liam owed her nothing, apart for the fact she’d given birth to him. He had a mother and father, she reminded herself, and it wasn’t her and Edward Stewart.

Sean was urging her on with a slight nod, which if deciphered might mean, We’ll speak about this later.

Emerging into the bar, Liam stood unsure for a moment, until Chrissy, spotting his presence, shouted his name in delight and immediately headed his way for a hug.

‘It’s so good to see you, and you’re even taller and more handsome than ever.’

The awkward moment over, for Liam at least, Rhona sought refuge in her waiting drink, while all she could think about was why he was back here, and where he was planning on staying, at his real parents’ place or with her? And the most horrific thought of all . . . was he seeing Edward?

She found out shortly afterwards, because Liam told her.

He’d come to stand next to her. At close quarters she couldn’t stop herself from noting aspects of Edward, especially when she’d first met and fallen in love with him. For she hadn’t always hated Edward Stewart. And she didn’t dislike his son, her son, for looking so like him.