She had spent the final part of her pregnancy with Richard and Beatrice after a long period of arguments over finances and her family’s expectations.

The porch in the picture belonged to the farmhouse.

‘Why didn’t anybody tell me?’ I asked.

‘Your mother made me promise not to talk about the separation,’ he said.

‘At first she thought she was going to leave him for good.

Later, when they reconciled, she wanted to put the whole episode behind her.’

He explained that my grandparents had helped arrange independent legal advice at the time.

They wanted the money they left to their daughters’ children to be protected regardless of the marriage.