Leith had changed. The streets were lined with beautiful boutiques. Even the charity shops were posh. There were also hundreds of cyclists riding through this smart Edinburgh suburb, proud of their achievement of completing the entire route of the Edinburgh cycle paths.

Another aspect of modern-day Leith was not quite so attractive. The government had installed white metal periscopes to spy on citizens along the shore. Our friend B and R took especial exception to them. We all tried to kick the periscopes out of the way whenever they approached us. It was a futile gesture: they were programmed to return, time after time.

Later I wondered if we were a special target for surveillance when someone photographed me through my bedroom window. I guessed that they were really interested in the antics of my sisters (rather than me). I’d safely hidden them in my kitchen. I would protect them from the Scottish spooks, no matter what.