Elizabeth Day

And he drew a little design and she drew a design and the letters crossed and it was the same ring that they had both designed.

So it's the most extraordinary, it's giving me chills to think about it, the most extraordinary love story.

And having agreed to marry this man who she'd met once in person, my granny, Isabel, had to travel across occupied Europe through many Nazi-occupied countries to be with my grandfather in Cairo.

And they got married in Cairo Cathedral in, I think it was 1943.

Wow.

And they were together for well over 50 years, had two children, had an incredible marriage and inspired me so much in so many ways.

So this cigarette case dates from that time.

And that's why it's so important to me.

And when my grandfather sadly died, I called him Papa.

That was...

the one thing that I really wanted of his and so it sleeps next to me every night actually on my bedside table that's where I keep it because it reminds me of him but it also reminds me of the story of their love affair without which I wouldn't exist How do you think your grandfather has influenced you?

I think valuing kindness as a deeply important characteristic is huge.

But he also really encouraged me to write stories.

And he also encouraged me to read and to think.

and to engage with the world.

And also the way that I saw him be a supportive partner to Granny and Ditto, vice versa.

They both supported each other and were very complementary.

It was a sort of dovetailed relationship.

Rather than being two peas in a pod, they each had different strengths and skills.

So it also taught me about the value of relationships.