‘Most folks were all right, but some were thoughtless, and a few were deliberately cruel. There was one woman, Bernie Farragher was her name. You wouldn’t remember her, she moved away years ago. Bernie thought I should be cast out of the village. I remember her looking at you and saying, bold as you like, “It’s a shame that child has no father. She’ll have a difficult life.” It took me a few seconds to pull myself together, and, in the meantime, you gave the old witch your best gummy smile. “Her name is Tess,” I said, “and she’ll have everything she needs.” Afterwards, I was devastated. I felt like I’d developed some sort of stain, like people thought I was dirty.’

‘The cow. I hope wherever she went, she had a miserable life. Did he … Did O’Grady ever say anything about me? There I was, running around the village with the other kids. His daughter.’

Although she was managing to ask questions, Tess was trembling all over. Noel O’Grady was her father. Not some obscure figure. Not a film star or a millionaire. Not someone romantic or handsome, but Noel O’Grady, with the bloated face and the shiny suits. Noel O’Grady, who believed that, because his brother was a politician (a junior minister, no less), the rules didn’t apply to him.

‘He barely spoke to me,’ said her mam, as she blotted her eyes. ‘Even though I saw him all the time, we didn’t really acknowledge each other.’

‘That must have been grim.’

‘Grim doesn’t begin to cover it, but it’s amazing what you can get used to. When you’ve no choice, you can endure almost anything. Did he ever talk to you or show any interest in you?’

Tess paused to think. Had he ever said anything, no matter how small, to suggest he might have an interest in her life? Nothing came to mind, and she shook her head. ‘I don’t know how you coped. Were you never tempted to tell anyone?’

‘I did talk to one person. I didn’t tell him how it happened, but I told him who your father was.’ She hesitated. ‘I told Emmet Minogue.’ Tess must have looked shocked, because her mother immediately added, ‘I know, I know. Of all the people I could’ve spoken to, I chose him. In my defence, it was a long time before all that carry-on over you and Nina and the lads. He was my doctor, and I had to unburden myself to someone who I felt wouldn’t judge me. Oh, and I knew he couldn’t spread the word.’

‘Huh,’ said Tess. ‘Dr Judgemental himself.’