John was smiling as he stowed away the bread, vegetables and tins, and put the meat, eggs and fish in the fridge. ‘It sounds as if you had a successful day. I’m afraid I’ve been very lazy really and only managed to put together a vegetable pie for supper.’

‘It’s a shame the weather’s so awful. I know how much you enjoy your weekend golf,’ she sighed.

She sipped the tea he placed in front of her and relaxed. ‘The town’s looking pretty with lots of lights everywhere, and the shop windows all dressed for Christmas. The council workers were decorating the tree in the High Street, and having a hard time of it with the wind and rain. There hasn’t been one there since 1940, so it’s lovely to see it again. I expect Peggy will be taking Daisy down there once it’s all decorated – just as our mother used to take us when we were small. It became quite a Cliffehaven tradition over the years.’

‘Then we must take Teddy and baby Angela down to see it if the weather’s clement,’ said John. His smile was warm and full of love as he looked at her. ‘I’m really looking forward to Christmas this year,’ he said. ‘I’m sure Anthony and Suzy will be amazed by what we’ve had done, and there’ll be lots of room for Teddy to race about on the tricycle I bought him.’

Doris smiled although she dreaded the thought of her new parquet floors being scratched by a small boy on a tricycle. ‘It will be a real family Christmas for both of us,’ she said. ‘Christmas Day here, and Boxing Day with Peggy and all her brood. Bob’s due home today, you know, and Cissy might even come down from London.’

She stopped babbling when she noticed that John had stopped smiling and there was a terrible sadness in his eyes. She reached for his hand. ‘There’s always a chance that Michael’s had a change of heart, and will turn up sometime over the holiday.’

‘I doubt that very much,’ said John. ‘He might be my son, Doris, but after the way he’s behaved towards you, I have no wish to see him again. He’d have to have a radical change in character before I allowed him to step one foot in our home.’

Doris knew in her heart that this awful rift between father and son was not of her making, but she still felt guilty about it. However, if he did turn up unexpectedly it could cause a ghastly atmosphere and ruin everything they’d been so looking forward to. She silently hoped they’d seen the last of him.

It was now Christmas Eve and it had at last stopped raining. Thankful for the weak sun glinting on the puddles, Peggy looked out of her kitchen window to watch Bob and Charlie cleaning out the chicken coop.

Ron was busy digging up the rotten vegetables and turning over the ground of the vegetable plot, hoping it would dry out enough for him to plant his winter seedlings. Harvey and Monty were exploring the compost heap, and Daisy was getting in everyone’s way by tramping about in her wellington boots and issuing orders.