He laughs. ‘You’re right about that, but if I don’t stick to my routine, I’ll give up.’ He glances over his shoulder at the snowman near Rosamund’s cottage. ‘They’ve done a great job, haven’t they?’ He sounds a little out of breath.

I smile. ‘They really have. Oh to be young.’

‘Hey, we’re still young.’ He laughs and picks up speed. ‘See you at breakfast?’

‘Yes, we’ll be over soon.’

‘Great!’ He heads away with another wave, and I take a deep breath and go back inside.

‘Are you ready to eat, Dad?’

‘Sure,’ he says, rising and climbing the stairs. ‘I’ll have a quick shower first, then we can head over.’

*

We pass the snowman on our way to the conservatory, and I notice Rosamund standing in the window in her dressing gown, holding a mug. She lifts her hand in a wave, and I return the gesture. Within seconds she’s gone from the window, and appears at the front door.

‘Morning,’ she calls. ‘Can you tell Ruth we won’t want breakfast this morning. Elise has gone back to bed – she was up at the crack of dawn building our new snowman friend here.’ She smiles. ‘And I’m feeling a bit groggy after the stressful journey here.’

‘OK, we’ll perhaps see you later,’ I call back as we continue to trudge through the snow, trying so hard to forgive her.

Dad makes a grumbling sound. ‘I don’t know why you give her the time of day, Amelia. That woman—’

‘I’m not keen on her myself,’ I cut in. ‘But she is sorry – wants our forgiveness.’

‘Yes, well, she won’t get mine.’

‘I know. You said.’ I’m frustrated by his lack of understanding. ‘I just feel you should give her a chance, that’s all.’

‘Pot. Kettle,’ he says.

‘Sorry?’

‘Well, you’ve never given Maddie a chance. Never tried to forgive her.’

‘That’s different,’ I say, though I’m not sure it is.

I glance back over my shoulder as Rosamund calls after us, ‘Second thoughts, a cooked breakfast does sound rather tempting. I’ll be right over.’ She steps back inside her cottage and closes the door behind her.

‘Robert!’ It’s Maddie, waving from her cottage doorway, dressed in her ski suit. ‘Can we borrow your muscles again, please? Thomas is starving.’

*

‘Did you hear about the footprints?’ Ruth says, topping up Dad’s tea.

‘Footprints?’ everyone says but me.

‘Bit odd really,’ she goes on, her hand on the side of the teapot as though her skin is made of copper. ‘Finn said they seemed to come from the woods and then go back again.’

‘That’s weird,’ Dad says.

‘Aye, it is strange,’ Ruth agrees, eyes searching the ceiling. ‘I can’t think who it could have been. The roads are blocked for miles.’