‘Why can’t you bring him?’ she asked, trying to focus on something other than the food, the night, Jake. Mrs. Matheson was setting down platters of frosted grapes and tiny chocolates, and Jake was watching her with an air of a genie producing his magic. She could reach out and touch him…

No.

‘We don’t welcome animals here,’ Rob was telling her.

‘But Rusty…’

‘Rusty’s a special request from the owner,’ Rob said, giving Jake a rueful grin. ‘Old Doc’s wife was allergic to dog and cat hair. The no-pet rule seemed easiest so we’ve stuck with it.’

‘Old Doc being your father?’ she asked Jake, and he gave a curt nod as if he didn’t want to go there.

But this was obviously news to Doreen and Glenda. Clearly no one had explained who Jake was until now-maybe there’d been no need. Maybe he hadn’t even eaten with the guests until tonight. Now they looked astounded.

‘You’re Doc McDonald’s son?’ they gasped as one, and got another curt nod.

‘Oh, my dear…’ Doreen whispered, sounding awed. ‘Your father? He was the most wonderful man. Oh, when our papa died nothing was too much trouble.’ She hesitated then, looking puzzled. ‘You’re not… He and Hazel didn’t…’ And then her face cleared. ‘I know. You’re Diane’s son.’

‘That’s right.’ Jake’s voice said, Don’t go there, but Doreen had had a wonderful dinner and wonderful wine and she was past picking up subtleties.

‘Oh, my dear, of course you are,’ Doreen said. ‘Thelma said you were at the funeral but no one believed her. But you’re the little boy Doc lost. He broke his heart over you.’

‘Not so much as you’d notice,’ Jake snapped, clearly wanting to move on. ‘I had no contact with my father from the time I was three. I heard from him only once after my mother took me back to the States, but I was a man by then and…well…even then he didn’t seem keen to get to know me.’