‘Isn’t he spending Christmas with his brother?’ Lily got up to fetch biscuits because it seemed like their restorative powers might be needed.

‘They’re going away to her family, apparently.’ Carola sighed. ‘Maybe I’ll invite him in the evening when Owen goes off to spend a couple of hours with his mum.’ She brightened. ‘Are you sure you won’t come too?’

‘It’s really sweet of you but I’d rather just veg out after the Christmas lunch,’ Lily said quickly. She’d told Carola her plans had fallen through but had already decided that if she couldn’t be with her family she’d be happier alone, even before she knew about the addition of Duncan to the festivities.

Carola glanced around the room as if for the first time, as she selected a bourbon biscuit. ‘Why don’t you have any Christmas decorations?’

‘When you work with the lights and tinsel at the pub all the time it’s quite restful not to have them,’ Lily invented glibly. In fact she simply hadn’t felt like getting her box of decorations out of the cupboard.

They chatted, Lily making coffee to go with the biscuits. Carola had just left, fortified by half a packet of bourbons, when Lily’s FaceTime alert sounded and she saw Garrick calling on her laptop screen and connected the call. Shock shivered through her as she saw not only Garrick waiting to talk to her but Tubb. Frowning.

‘Hi,’ she said steadily, frowning back.

Garrick greeted her genially enough but Tubb’s frown just grew blacker and he wasted no time in stating the source of his annoyance. ‘Garrick says you’re dubious about taking a role at British Country Foods because of me. I can’t have you missing the chance of a good job if you want it. I don’t even know whether I’m going to stay in Switzerland. At least come and talk to Los.’

She hesitated. This should solve everything. If she wanted the job … Did she? She ought to want it. She’d loved Switzerland, BCF was a great company and she felt as if she’d like the work. Until recently staying in the village had been a prime aim but the roots she’d thought she was putting down in Middledip were shrivelling. It was just …

Just Isaac.

Garrick, looking more relaxed than Tubb, eased into the conversation. ‘What our dear brother means is he’d like to see you again and mend bridges and if you won’t come about the job he might actually have to take the initiative.’

Lily was dumbfounded at this unexpected turn of events. ‘Mend bridges?’