‘Ah, crap. Yes. I wanted to wait until I was somewhere safe so they had one less thing to freak out about. Once she’s gone to start cleaning I’ll call.’

Henry turned to look at me properly. ‘I’m not sure she’s ever going to start cleaning.’ He swallowed, picking at a non-existent piece of fluff on his jeans. ‘I’m also not sure that you’re somewhere safe.’

‘Here you go.’ Beyoncé/Polina handed us two steaming mugs. ‘Try it.’

I took a tentative sip, followed by a much larger one. ‘This is amazing, thank you.’ I nodded at Henry to give his a try. Unfortunately, as he pressed the mug to his lips there was a loud clatter from behind us, causing him to slop a good mouthful down his jacket.

‘Ah, Ivan is waking up. I will fetch a cloth for your coat then you can meet him. I have to see to Ivan, then I will go and clean.’ She passed Henry a damp dish cloth then started towards a door set into the back wall. I’d presumed it was a cupboard, but perhaps there was more to the dwelling than it seemed.

‘No, wait, first I must hide his present!’ Polina attempted to hurry back, picking up a woollen item from the table. ‘Look, it is not quite finished, but I think he will like it.’

She held up a tiny sleeveless jumper, knitted in green and red stripes.

‘Is Ivan a baby?’ I asked, my stomach lurching at the thought of a baby living here.

‘No, he’s twenty-three years old!’ she said, with a proud tilt of her chin.

‘Right.’ I nodded and smiled and tried to pretend that it was perfectly normal for someone to knit a six-inch-wide jumper for a grown man. Or could it be a doll? A dog?

Before I had the chance to find out, my mum called. Promising Henry that I’d be back in a minute (‘You’d better be…’ was his mumbled reply) I ducked outside to break the news.

‘Bea, that weatherman standing in for you was correct for once. The roads are a nightmare! None of the cousins can make it. Margo suggested riding here, but it hardly seems sensible to force a horse into this white-out. What about you and Henry? I really can’t see you making it back today. And while I don’t want to be the one to say I told you so, if you recall I did query whether once again your job would stop you joining us for Christmas.’

‘I’m going to be there for Christmas!’

‘Christmas is more than just one day. Anyway, you’ll have to stay in Scotland for now.’

‘Sweet-Bea!’ Dad interrupted. ‘Are you okay? Somewhere safe? Are you and Henry taking care of each other?’