‘Yeah, Debs from the Old Chain Pier in Edinburgh. I met her and she told me you slept with her, then she took a photo from your passport when you got really angry with her and…’

‘Why on earth would you think we slept together?’

‘Well, why did you spend time with her?’

‘I didn’t. We were colleagues, that’s all.’ He tucked her hair behind her ear, brushing her cheek.

‘But she had a picture of yours. It looks like he’s your son.’

‘What, you think I’ve got another family or something? Don’t be daft, Fi. You and Jamie are my family.’ He tipped his head back then nodded. ‘I had a photo in my wallet of me as a wee boy. She stole all the money in my wallet one night when she was drunk and she must’ve taken the photo too.’

Fiona leant her head onto his shoulder and inhaled. It was so good to smell his wonderful smell again.

‘Please, Fi, please believe me, I’m not a lying, thieving bastard.’ He turned to look at her and smiled. ‘Fi, the only bad thing I did was take the money from our account for the fare, but I was desperate. It was terrible and I should never have done it. I can’t imagine you’ll ever forgive me.’

‘Did you fly first class? I mean, all that money?’

‘No, I didn’t fly first! I spent nearly a thousand on the fare then saved the rest. And I got some temping chef jobs while I was away so I’ve brought it all back – and a bit extra.’

Fiona frowned. ‘But if you were just doing something as, well, worthy as you say you were, at last letting Sam know you were alive, why the hell could you not have got in touch? Emailed me to say, “Sorry, Fi, I stole all our savings and here I am back in Australia reconciling with my sister, but I’ll be back soon.”’

‘I know, I handled it all badly, I’m rubbish. Sorry.’ He stroked her hand. ‘I should have got in touch. Thing is, Fi, the breakdown meant I had to see a shrink a few times, but I’ve got myself totally sorted out now. I felt ashamed of that too, like I wasn’t coping well, so, kind of, unmanly.’ He took a deep breath. ‘But when I was fit again and ready to come back, I got in touch with Dot and then your dad died.’

He turned to her. ‘I’m sorry about the funeral, it was me there at the back, but I just wasn’t ready for the talk with you and I didn’t think it was a good time for you. But I wanted to be there, he was a great guy your dad, a legend.’