Patrick could gauge what Evelyn was thinking. He sighed. Taking an envelope from his pocket he placed it on the table.

‘What’s this?’

‘That, Mrs O’Dowd, is two first-class tickets to Sydney, with a four-day stop over in Singapore. It’s a long old flight to Oz, you know, and you’ll be glad of the break, believe me. I want you to take these tickets and tell Kate that you had some money left over from . . . well, whatever you like. Let her think you paid for them.’

Evelyn fingered the thick brown envelope and looked into Patrick’s eyes.

‘Something’s happened between the two of you, hasn’t it?’

He nodded. It was pointless lying. He told her about Dan. Evelyn did not bat an eyelid all the time he spoke.

‘That would go against the grain with Kate. It goes against the grain with me to be honest. But I’m a bit more of a realist than my daughter. I know that desperate times mean desperate measures. I’ll give you a bit of advice where Kate is concerned, shall I? Always remember that her job is the most important thing in her life. She fought hard to get to where she is and I think that the fact she allowed herself to get involved with you, knowing your reputation, speaks volumes. She’s had only one man in her life, Danny Burrows. Now she has you. Or maybe I should say had you? I don’t know. Only Kate knows that.

‘If you care about my daughter, and I think you do, then you should remember these facts. They’ll stand you in good stead for the future. Kate’s as honest as the day is long.’

Patrick at least had the grace to look away from her, and Evelyn admired him for that. She knew that he loved her daughter, could hear it in the way he spoke her name, see it in the way that he tried in his own way to make things right for her. Like the tickets to Australia. An expensive way to make amends, but Evelyn knew that was what he was trying to do. She opened the envelope.

The tickets were for 4 March 1990, from Heathrow. She looked at him and frowned.

He held out his hand and took the envelope from her. He placed it back in his pocket.

‘I never said I wasn’t going to accept them, did I?’

Her voice was softer now. She held out her hand and he gave her back the envelope. He left a few minutes later, lighter of heart.

Evelyn let him out and as she closed the door looked up the stairs. The thump-thump of Lizzy’s music was still audible.

It was just as well the child had no idea he’d been here. Kate was astute enough to put two and two together. Evelyn only hoped she would believe her story about insurance money left over from her father’s death.