She hesitated. ‘Lots of reasons. The most important to me is, if Christmas is about anything it’s about welcoming strangers into your home.’ Too late she wished that she’d said something different – anything but the truth really. She tried to explain further – which would probably make it worse – but what the hell. ‘I’m rubbish at cooking, and cleaning and decorating the house stylishly. I never get the Christmas cards out in time and I mostly buy people things from Marks and Spencers so they can take them back. But I do feel strongly about being welcoming.’ She was blushing so hard now she was challenging the cardboard Santa’s that swayed above her head. ‘Now you’ve confirmed I’m completely batty, you can move on and finish your shopping.’

He laughed again but kindly. ‘Actually, I was going to offer to come round and make you a vegetarian dish. I haven’t got much cooking to do at all and I like it. And you obviously have a lot.’

‘Would you do that?’ Gratitude almost made Evie fling her arms round his neck. Fortunately middle-class restraint saved her from herself.

‘Of course. It would be a pleasure. Where do you live?’

She gulped, suddenly aware that she’d invited a complete stranger into her home. She didn’t know anything about him. He could be targeting her – he could have seen her neediness and deliberately got talking to her. Then she allowed common sense into her panic-stricken brain. She would be surrounded by people on Christmas Day; she’d be perfectly safe.

‘I live at the top of Stoke’s Hill. One of the big houses up there.’

‘Oh yes, I know. Do you live in all of it? Or has it been divided into flats?’

She smiled to hide an unexpected sigh. ‘No, all of it.’ It wouldn’t be for long. Once everything else had been sorted out after her parents’ death, the house would go on the market. It was why everyone decided there needed to be one more family Christmas in the old home. Then it would be divided into flats, no doubt.

She gave him the rest of the address and they exchanged names and contact numbers. Then she finished her shopping, adding two boxes of crackers to the pile, just because they were reduced to half price. Still, crackers were always good fun even if she was the only member of the family who thought so.

She didn’t tell her family that she’d invited Edward for Christmas. She hadn’t really meant to lie to them, but she didn’t work hard enough at finding an opportunity to do it. They were all so busy, preoccupied with deciding who should have what from the house.