I married my husband’s niece in a small but intimate ceremony with most of my in-laws in attendance. None of the family thought it odd that I was committing bigamy. Even I had convinced myself that it was permissible to have a two spouses – one male and the other female.

Meanwhile my parents moved to a big bungalow in Edinburgh. Its massive garden was crowded with robins the size of seagulls. I was delighted when my mother said that she would be employing a gardener.