‘No I’m bloody not!’ Carola all but yelped. ‘The girls would begin to hope it was permanent – which it would not be – and it would make things very difficult with Owen. The situation’s made the girls very restless though. Despite the fact he didn’t exactly put their happiness first, Duncan’s their dad and now that he’s upset they want to see him.’

It was the perfect opportunity for Lily to say what had been spinning dismally in her head. ‘How do you think the others would take to us starting home today? Bearing the heavy snow in mind too?’ she queried experimentally.

‘My vote would be yes,’ Carola said promptly. ‘And Emily’s still moping about Warwick so I think she wants the trip to be over. Let me ring round and ask everyone. I’ll come back to you as soon as, OK?’ And Carola was gone.

Lily turned Doggo round and strode back down the hill towards Schützenberg, feeling more settled. She’d start to pack. She’d have to pack Isaac’s stuff too. Presumably Doggo’s documents would be there somewhere. She hadn’t given Isaac a chance to coach her through the doggy passport control process last night because a storm of tears had been building in her chest as she talked to him, not wanting to tell him about what had happened with her brothers when he had so much to deal with already. But, oh, she felt so bruised and so sad that she’d barely been able to keep it together to say goodbye.

After ending the call she’d cried and cried, venting her pain at being so thoroughly rejected by Tubb and Garrick and the disappointment of Isaac’s absence. Listening to him outline the situation he’d found himself in, the severity of Hayley’s incapacity and the fragility of her emotions, she’d realised with a slowly sinking heart that he was in it for more than a couple of days with Hayley.

She didn’t know what else she’d expected but somehow the reality that he was living with his ex-girlfriend in their own home had hit her like a freezing cold wave.

Would he ever return to The Three Fishes? He’d talked about Hayley needing somebody with her ‘for the next few weeks’ so he wouldn’t be able to abandon her while he worked. Tubb might replace him or limp along with Tina at the helm until the pub was sold.

Her stomach turned on a fresh thought. Even if Isaac found a way to return, would Tubb want Lily working at The Three Fishes now? She was living proof of his dad’s mistakes and, judging by his reaction when she’d finally fronted up to him, not a welcome addition to his family.