Judith glanced at Lana, who was smoking one of Iannis’s cigarettes, clearly mesmerized as Maria continued to translate Sofia’s tale.

‘They live here for nearly two years. Georgios he had good job as a clerk with local government. Some days he travels to Nicosia—’

‘Blimey, I hope he didn’t go on that Bedford bus,’ Lana chipped in. ‘You need to be made of strong stuff for that!’

‘Shut up!’ hissed Catrin.

‘I can’t imagine my dad as a civil servant,’ Judith mused. ‘He works in a factory now. Electronics.’

Maria translated for the others and Judith thought she detected a hint of disappointment on their faces. Then she continued Sofia’s story.

‘But then Cyprus is becoming more troubled with the fighting, and everything is … how you say, uncertain? … and Georgios he worries that he will lose his job. And so he decide he will go to England for work – for one year maybe, get money and come home.’

Maria put her hand on Sofia’s, checking that she wanted to carry on. She nodded.

‘That was in the summer of 1973. He left and she never saw him again.’

‘Bloody hell! It doesn’t sound like George to just disappear like that. He’s always been such a decent bloke,’ said Lana, and Catrin glared at her again.

‘At first he would write to them,’ Maria said. ‘They did not have telephone then, so it was only letters. And presents!’ Maria smiled as Sofia talked of the gifts her brother had sent home – a snow-globe with Big Ben inside it, some Yardley soap for their mother, a tin of Walkers shortbread, even a pair of wellington boots! ‘All the time he was sending presents.’

‘And did you know where he was living?’ asked Judith.

‘No, he kept saying he would give an address when he settled, but that he was moving around so much there was no point.’ Sofia took a sip of water before she continued. ‘And then he writes and he says he has job,’ said Maria. ‘He is labour on building site and the pay is good. He say he will stay for eight more months and then he will come home, with money for them all.’

‘Except he never did …’ Judith said.

‘Except he never did,’ Maria repeated, and they sat in silence, taking it all in.

‘Right, so obviously that was because he met my mother and got married …’ said Judith. ‘I would’ve been about five or six then.’

‘I remember her coming to school to say she’d got a new daddy,’ said Catrin. ‘D’you remember that, Larn? We were in Mrs Owen’s class.’

‘God, yeah,’ said Lana, turning to Judith, her face lighting up. ‘And I was so jealous ’cos you got to be a bridesmaid and wear a nice dress.’

But Judith ignored her friends, trying to piece together all the information.

‘I know they got married really quickly after they met because they’d fallen head over heels in love,’ she said, looking over at her friends. ‘Hard to imagine now.’