Mrs Bradley, whose French chef, Henri, would never allow her to cook at home, begged permission to help with the Christmas dinner, and she and her nephew had the kitchen to themselves. Deborah, who was inclined at first to be obstinate and to demand the position of housewife, was turned out gently and firmly by her husband, and threatened with punitive measures if she returned.

So she went to church, leaving the new puppy and his mother at the farm, which was on her way, to be cared for there until the puppy was weaned. Obury and Mansell stoked up the drawing-room fire and settled down to enjoy a thoroughly lazy Christmas morning. They had offered to accompany Deborah to church, but were greatly relieved when she merely laughed. They watched from the window until they saw her join Will North, the tall gamekeeper, at the junction of the drive and the lane, and hand him over the puppy, and then they sighed luxuriously and settled themselves in deep chairs on either side of the fire.

‘Shall you recognize the ghost if he turns out to be Bill Fullalove?’ Jonathan enquired, coming in to find out whether they wanted anything. Mansell and Obury were not at all certain that they would.

‘Of course, we’ve both known Bill for some time,’ said Mansell, ‘but that rather sickening face we saw last night looked simply like nothing on earth. What did you think, Obury?’

‘Oh, I agree. Bill or not, I shouldn’t recognize it. But I’m still convinced it was the ghost. Anyhow, if it was Bill, well, although we went badger-watching together here during the summer, I couldn’t swear to him at that distance and with that ghastly light on his face.’

They discussed the phenomenon of the ghost until Jonathan was needed in the kitchen and Mansell became bored and went to sleep. Obury then played with the cat, smoked, ate chocolates, read a novel and contrived to amuse himself until the busy Jonathan, his dark locks disordered and his middle girt about with a large white apron, rushed in again, this time to give his guests some drinks.

Obury woke Mansell, and as they were helping themselves the Fullaloves appeared at the front door, and almost immediately afterwards Deborah arrived from church, bringing with her the principal of the Emergency Training College, Miss Hughes, who had been invited for Christmas dinner and for as long as she cared to stay.