That was fair, at least. He’d never promised her more than he gave her. Melissa wiped the tears away with the back of her hand, but Ray reached into his pocket and fished out his cotton handkerchief. She took it from him but didn’t use it.

‘I know all that,’ she said, ‘and I understand, honest. You’ve got a dead good job and God knows, they’re hard to come by round here, and I know that you’re here as often as you can be. But . . .’ She looked up at him, certain that her mascara had run but not really caring. ‘We could still get married. Just because you’re away so much doesn’t mean that we couldn’t. This girl I know, her husband works on the rigs off Aberdeen. He’s gone for weeks at a time, like, but at least everyone knows she’s got a husband somewhere. That’s all I want, pet. Don’t I deserve that? Doesn’t Leah?’

‘Of course you do,’ said Ray. ‘I just didn’t think that you’d want to.’

‘Why would you think that?’ Melissa asked, her voice louder now. ‘Of course I want to marry you. You’re the man I love and now you’re the father of my baby as well.’

Ray looked out across the ocean towards the lighthouse. The sun was dropping now and the tower’s white paint glowed orange in the reflected rays. He did not speak but Melissa knew that these long silences were just the way he processed things. He needed time to think stuff through and she waited quietly, but her heart was beating so hard that she felt sure he’d hear it.

Leah stirred in her pram and Melissa worried that she would cry and interrupt this vital moment, but she just lay quietly, her little eyelids flickering open, and when Melissa leaned in to say hello, Leah gave her an enormous, heart-melting smile. Melissa reached to pick her up and Leah raised her arms to her, her smile broadening wider still.

‘Hello there, my little angel,’ said Melissa gently. ‘You think Daddy should marry Mummy, don’t you?’ She held Leah tightly against her chest, but Leah pushed back against her, as if she wanted to be part of this conversation between her parents.

Ray, brought round from his thoughts, focused his attention back on them. When he saw his baby daughter his face lit up. He was such a handsome man, Melissa thought, and she felt her heart tumble. What did it matter if he didn’t want to marry her? He was fun and good-looking and kind and he loved her. That should be enough for her. But it wasn’t.