Callie and Ella were still turning the pages of the album. There were photos of the chef cooking up a storm in the kitchen, guests standing round the piano with a glass of wine in hand, the photos portraying everyone having a good time.

Wilbur continued. ‘My father started out as a chef but also played in a jazz band. Any opportunity he got, he would be on the piano, and Thursday nights became regular music nights. The same diners would book time after time, and everyone used to stay till the early hours, singing and dancing. They used to put me to bed in the back office, but little did they know that I used to sneak out and watch the bands from under the table in the far corner of the room.’ Wilbur smiled fondly at his memories.

‘And who’s that?’ Ella pointed to a woman wearing the most elegant dress. The colourful printed silk oozed style and class. The collar, cuffs and jaunty tie were of contrasting colour to the black dress. Wearing a headscarf and black kitten heels, she was poised with the microphone, leaning against the piano, all the dinner guests staring in her direction.

‘That’s Dolores. She was a star – and I mean a superstar.’

‘She’s stunning! Look at those cheekbones, anyone would die for those cheekbones,’ Ella scrutinised the photo.

‘Everyone flocked in to see Dolores sing. There wasn’t a spare table in the place the nights she performed, and look at it now.’ Wilbur was saddened. ‘Thursday nights became exclusive, a night for just the rich and famous.’

‘I wish I’d been there,’ Callie said. ‘I bet these walls hold many secrets.’

‘They certainly do. The press used to hover at the old boathouse just to get a photograph, but my parents would never let them on the boat. Some paparazzi obviously tried to overstep the mark and hire their own boats to try and get closer, just for that photo that might sell millions, but on the whole, back in the day, people respected other people’s privacy more.’ Wilbur turned the next page of the album.

‘It seems Heartcross has always attracted the stars in one way or another,’ chipped in Ella, remembering that Callie had told her all about heart-throb Zach Hudson visiting recently and enticing the local vet, Rory, off to work in Africa to film a documentary.

‘Who’s that?’ asked Ella, pointing to the photo of Dolores having dinner with a handsome man dressed up in a very smart suit, with dimples to die for.

Wilbur raised an eyebrow. ‘That is the prince.’

‘A real-life prince?’ questioned Ella, taking a small sip of her wine whilst running her eyes over the photograph once more.