Nico was turning his mind back to mundane matters like the Christmas presents he’d ordered ready to pick up from Argos on Monday and the Tesco groceries that should arrive first thing tomorrow, the nineteenth, and thinking unenthusiastically of Christmas lunch. Cooking a roast dinner was a trial for him. Thank goodness for ready-made Yorkshire puddings. A pleasant thought struck him and he turned to look at Hannah. Her hair was pulled up on top of her head and he wanted to nuzzle the downy hairs in the nape of her neck. ‘What are you and Nan doing for Christmas lunch? Maybe we can join forces?’

She gave him a dazzling smile. ‘All being together would be great … unless Nan has plans with Brett, of course.’

Then her phone rang and she regarded the screen with one eyebrow up in her hairline. ‘Christopher Carlysle?’ She couldn’t have sounded more astonished if Santa himself had rung.

‘I won’t beat about the bush,’ Nico heard the clipped voice say because Hannah leaned in so he could listen. ‘I’m ringing to ask you to oversee the Christmas Opening. I’m afraid my son’s vanished again. Tenants are up in arms and Cassie’s hardly speaking to me. Says I was bloody awful to you and you should tell me to get knotted. But I’m hoping you won’t,’ he added humbly.

Hannah closed her eyes. ‘You were incredibly rude.’

‘I was.’

‘You were a bulldozer.’

‘Under pressure,’ Christopher acknowledged unhappily. ‘I admit it and apologise, Miss Goodbody, but the traders are crying out for you and I’ll make it worth your while.’

‘Actual money?’

‘How about three hundred pounds for the day?’ he suggested.

Hannah frowned, following Josie and Maria’s game with her eyes though her thoughts were obviously elsewhere. Then she sighed. ‘For the sake of the traders who have sunk so much into Carlysle Courtyard,’ she agreed at length. ‘But I’m flying home from Sweden today so I can’t be there any earlier than seven-thirty tomorrow.’ For the next ten minutes she talked and Christopher thanked. She came off the phone half-smiling and half-aggravated.

‘Men!’ she joked. ‘Always ready to take advantage.’

He took her words semi-seriously. ‘Like me? Accepting your help on this trip?’

She put her phone away and twinkled naughtily. ‘I got a lot out of it. A trip to Sweden and Albin sorted. And … some lovely, lovely other things.’

Nico didn’t let her joke it away. He checked the girls were still busy with little fat dolls and ran his fingertips over her neck. ‘This time with you has made me happier than I’ve been for years.’ They hadn’t talked about the future but it suddenly felt very important that she know that.

Pleasure blooming in her fine eyes, she blew him a tiny kiss. ‘Same here,’ she whispered.

Chapter Twenty-Three