She wiped her eyes with her fingers. ‘How’s you and Marcus, Bern?’

‘We’re all right. He’s getting me a ring after Christmas. At least, we’ve talked about it anyway.’

Briony made a face, making Kerry laugh through her tears. ‘That should please Mother, a respectable married woman in the family. Good luck to you, Bern, he’s a nice bloke.’

‘Give me the baby, Bri.’ Briony picked up the child and placed her in her mother’s arms.

‘What you going to call her?’

Bernadette cried: ‘How about Noel, as it’s Christmas?’

Briony tutted loudly.

‘Don’t be stupid, Bernie, that’s like naming her Turkey.’

They all laughed.

‘How about Christine then, the feminine of Christopher? Bearer of Christ? It is Christmas after all, the birthday of Christ himself. Christine.’ She tried the name again. ‘That’s a nice name.’

Kerry shook her head.

‘No, I know what I’m going to call her.’

Briony and Bernie stared at her.

‘Well, bleeding tell us then!’

Kerry smiled down at her daughter and said, ‘Liselle. It was Evander’s mother’s name. It’s all I can give her of her father.’

Briony nodded.

‘It’s a beautiful name for a beautiful girl. Look at that hair! It’s already long and curly.’ She poked her face down at the child. ‘Lissy, Lissy Cavanagh, can you hear us, eh? We’re all talking about you. You’re the only little girl in England, in the world in fact, with three mums!’

They all laughed again.

‘Lissy! Her name’s Liselle.’ Kerry’s voice was indignant.

‘Oh, come on, Kel. It’s a bit of a gobful, ain’t it?’

Bernie agreed. She stroked the little girl’s hair and said, ‘Lissy is nice, it suits her. It’s soft somehow. She’ll be Lissy to me, I think.’

Kerry grinned.

‘Oh, all right! Lissy it is. I wonder how Eileen will get on when her time comes?’

Briony shrugged.

‘She’ll be all right. I hope she has a boy, then we’ll have one of each! You’re still coming tomorrow, aren’t you, Bern? Only I was worried about driving down on me own in this weather.’

‘Marcus will drive us, he’s coming later anyway. By the way, have you opened your presents? I mean other than this big present here!’

They both shook their heads and Bernadette ran from the room to get all their presents from under the tree.

Liselle snuffled into her mother’s breast and, looking down at her, Kerry felt a rush of protective love.

‘I’m glad Mum came. I didn’t think she would. Did she take much persuading?’

Briony shook her head, saying lightly, ‘Nah, in fact I got the impression she was glad to be asked, you know?’

Kerry grinned.