‘Look, Kate, you’re not the only person this has happened to. Every parent says this at some time. I remember when I found out Mandy was sleeping with that geek Kevin, I felt like throttling the pair of them. But it’s something that’s happened and you can’t make it unhappen. No matter how much you might want to. I told you, build some bridges now. Let some good come out of this.’

Oh, he sounded so right, but deep inside Kate she felt she had failed Lizzy somehow.

Evelyn bustled back into the room with her Irish whiskey. ‘I call this my Holy Water, it’s as good as a tonic. My cousin from Coleraine sends it to me, may God bless her and keep her. It’s the mountain water that gives it the taste. You know her name’s actually Katie Daly. It’s true.’

Patrick laughed.

‘Katie Daly’ had been one of his mother’s favourite songs. It was about a girl who made poteen, an illegal Irish whiskey, and the troops who came to arrest her.

Evelyn poured everyone out a generous measure. Kate sipped the liquid and felt the burn as it hit her throat. ‘Tomorrow, when she sees the head man, I’ll go with you, Kate, and we’ll try and sort this business out. We’ll make it all right, you’ll see.’

‘But to cut her wrists like that, Mum. She was more worried about you reading the diary than anything else.’

‘And so she should have been, the ungrateful little villain!’

Patrick sipped his drink. This was getting personal.

‘I think I better go soon, I know you have a lot to talk about.’

Kate nodded. The driver was sitting outside waiting and suddenly she remembered him.

‘Oh, your poor Willy must be freezing!’

‘I beg your pardon, Kate Burrows?’

Despite herself she laughed at her mother’s scandalised face.

‘That’s his driver, Mum. Willy’s his name. He’s waiting outside for Patrick.’

‘Oh I see. Well, bring him in. We don’t stand on ceremony in this house.’

Patrick drank up quickly. Somehow he didn’t think Kate’s mother was quite ready for Willy yet.

‘No, I’ve intruded long enough. I just wanted to make sure that Kate got home OK.’ He stood up and the two women stood with him. He shook Evelyn’s hand. ‘It was a pleasure to meet you, Mrs . . .’

‘O’Dowd. Evelyn O’Dowd.’

He smiled at her again. ‘Mrs O’Dowd, I hope we meet again, in more pleasant circumstances.’

‘So do I, son.’

Kate went out to the hall with him and Patrick kissed her gently. ‘You stop worrying now, Kate, and if you need anything, anything at all, you just ring me. OK?’

Kate nodded, too full of unshed tears to answer.

She watched him walk down the path and get into his Rolls-Royce. When the car was out of sight she shut the door and went back into the warmth of the lounge.

‘Well, you’re a dark horse and no mistake.’

‘Oh, Mum, he’s just a friend.’