That was a good start; at least he recognised there was someone there. On the rare occasions that he visited his father these days, an hour of total silence ensued as David desperately tried to think of something to say to the husk of the man that had brought him up. He’d learnt to take a book with him, so that he could read to him – The Oxford Book of Romantic Verse. From somewhere long ago David had remembered his mother telling him his father used to read to her from it when they’d first been courting. And just now and then, as David read, there would be a glimmer of recognition. Or on a good day he might take David’s hand and smile.

Then Jeffrey added, ‘I don’t have a nephew.’

David felt an overwhelming wave of guilt rush over him.

But Nina turned to him and said, ‘Don’t worry. He didn’t always remember Beth.’

David was just thinking that given what had happened to her maybe it was a blessing that he didn’t remember her when Jeffrey said, ‘Beth. Where’s Beth?’

Nina said, ‘Beth can’t come today, Jeffrey. Your nephew David is here to see you.’ Then mouthed the words, ‘I’ll leave you to it.’

David said, ‘This is a nice room, Jeffrey.’

Jeffrey didn’t reply.

Glancing over at the table in the opposite corner of the room, he saw a silver picture frame with a photo of Beth in it. David walked over and picked it up.

Jeffrey reached out as if to grab it. ‘Beth! Beth!’

David handed it to him and the old man held it hard to his chest. Oh God! He wished he’d never started this.

‘Jeffrey, do you remember Beth?’

The old man nodded. ‘Beth brings me things.’

It hadn’t even crossed his mind. The least he could have done if he was going to put him through the wringer was bring him a bar of chocolate or a bag of grapes. The truth was until he’d stepped into this room, Jeffrey Kinsella had been a way to find answers to his questions, not a real person. And he’d thought Beth had been obsessively single-minded!

‘What sorts of things, Jeffrey?’

‘All sorts. Nice things.’

More in desperation than in hope, David said, ‘When Beth comes to see you, Jeffrey, does she talk to you about her work?’

‘Beth has to work.’

David nodded. ‘Yes, Beth has to work. Did’ – he corrected himself – ‘does Beth talk about what she does?’

Jeffrey said, ‘Beth digs. She finds things.’

Smiling, David leant forwards. ‘That’s right, Jeffrey, Beth finds things. I find things too, Jeffrey, like Beth does. I dig them up. I work where Beth used to work.’

Jeffrey was smiling at him.

David asked, ‘Does Beth talk to you about where she works, Jeffrey?’

Still clutching the picture frame to his chest, Jeffrey asked, ‘When is Beth coming?’