If it hadn’t been for thinking about Isaac she would have floated away in a bubble of happiness. But then his voice on the phone was so … disbelieving. Hurt. If everyone hadn’t been shouting for her to come to the table she would have broken down and cried. As it was she had had to end the call or lose it completely.

For the rest of the day she pinned on a smile, helped in the kitchen, played with Dugal and Keir, held baby Ainsley with her heart melting as he stared stolidly up at her. Ona, now he was safely delivered and she was getting over the C-section, pretended to be glad to get rid of him at every opportunity while the love glowing in her eyes when she looked at any of her kids belied her joking words.

Before the daylight faded Lily went out with Max, Dugal and Keir to try out the boys’ new sledges and her ski pants which, being a smoky grey, went well with the blue coat from Zinnia and George. The whole outfit proved admirably suited to flying down a slope with Keir on her lap and being dumped in the snow when they overturned, roaring with laughter.

Later, when the young kids had finally gone to bed in their new pyjamas the adults and the older kids, Myla and Xander, settled with glasses of champagne.

Lily wondered whether to call Isaac back. Or at least text him and apologise about cutting their earlier call short. She listened as Tubb talked about putting The Three Fishes on the market and getting another relief manager until it sold. ‘I would have loved Isaac to stick around to manage it but he doesn’t sound prepared to stay.’

‘No,’ Lily agreed hoarsely.

Janice patted Tubb’s arm. ‘It’s a wrench for you. The pub’s been your life.’

Tubb laced her fingers with his. ‘We all have to retire sometime.’ But he looked a little misty-eyed. They began to reminisce about past Christmases at The Three Fishes and Lily’s mind went back to Isaac, wondering what he was doing now. Spending Christmas evening quietly with Hayley?

She reread his text from this morning – which was a distinctly sad thing to do – smiling to herself at the casual way her referred to your mums. It was good when someone treated her family as if they weren’t weird.

Gently, she put her phone down. She wouldn’t call Isaac.

For self-preservation she couldn’t let in a man who would so soon be getting out.