‘Aw, Nana Pat will be OK. I can do no wrong as far as she’s concerned,’ he’d said, and Judith had managed a small smile.

She looked at Gareth now, sitting opposite her, staring at his cup and scooping the froth from his coffee with a spoon.

‘I’m really happy for him,’ she said. ‘I mean Dan’s a nice boy, isn’t he? We like Dan, don’t we?’ She knew she was pushing him, but she needed a reaction.

‘It’s easy for you,’ he said. ‘You’re a woman!’

‘How in God’s name does my being a woman make any difference?’

But he couldn’t answer her.

She held his hand.

Sometimes she felt poor Gareth had been just swept up in the whirlwind of her life and had never been allowed to find his feet again. He’d always been completely supportive of her: of that there was no doubt. When she’d been promoted at the Welsh Office four years ago, he was dead proud, and they had both welcomed the hefty pay rise. At first she’d tried commuting, but it wasn’t long before travelling to London at least four times a week began to take its toll. She was on the verge of packing it all in when Gareth suggested they relocate. Good old salt-of-the-earth Gareth, Welsh to his very bones, who’d never travelled much beyond the Principality, was prepared to up sticks and turn English.

‘As long as my son still supports Wales in the rugby,’ he’d joked. ‘I’ll disown him he starts supporting England!’

‘But what about your job?’ she’d asked. ‘And Jack’s school?’

‘Me and Jack will be fine. He’ll make friends with anyone and my job’s like hairdressing – I can do it anywhere.’

She’d laughed at the thought of Gareth cutting hair and blue-rinsing old ladies, but really she was touched that he was prepared to make the sacrifice.

Within two months they’d moved over the Severn Bridge and landed in deepest, leafiest Surrey, where he’d set himself up in a little one-man business. Today, four years later, he was the proprietor of Metcalf’s Autos in Richmond, and the employer of two mechanics and a receptionist. He’d made friends on the way, of sorts, and he was adamant that he didn’t miss Coed Celyn. But, deep down, Judith wasn’t so sure.

Sometimes he did go back, of course. On his own. Just to visit that special, quiet place. But those visits were private and necessary for him to do alone.

‘I’ll be all right,’ he smiled, and kissed her hand. ‘Just takes a bit of getting used to, that’s all. And, of course, we’ll never become grandparents.’

Judith knew that now was not the time to point out that just because their son was gay didn’t mean he couldn’t have babies. She decided to save that one for another day. If there was one thing she’d learned about Gareth, it was that he wasn’t good with an information overload.

‘Come on,’ she said gently. ‘Let’s get going.’