Beth feels even more positive when she walks into the kitchen. At some point during her twenty-minute shower, she remembered that she’d booked the festive family trail at Painshill Park for today. It’s a stunning eighteenth-century garden, and its Santa’s grotto is reputed to be the most authentic outside Lapland, so she’s certain the girls will love it. It will also be a chance for them to reset as a family and spend some time away from the epicentre of their problems. She knows there’s more to come with both her dad and the police, but if she can have one day surrounded by Christmas magic, and focused entirely on her family, she hopes that she’ll be strong enough to face it.

‘Morning.’

‘Hi, Mummy,’ Ava sings. ‘You really like lie-ins at the moment, don’t you?’

Simon looks at her quizzically, but she’s too caught up in her daughter’s innocent gaze to provide any explanation. Ava seems more at ease than Beth could ever have hoped for after what she went through yesterday. Beth knows that could change, and going back to school next term might be difficult for her, but for now it’s good to see her smiling. ‘Hey, guess who we’re going to see today?’ she asks, while reaching down to both pat Luna and check her paws aren’t dirty.

‘Granny and Grandpa!’

‘No,’ Beth starts, straightening up.

‘Well, actually yes,’ Simon pipes up, looking sheepish now. ‘I called Mum this morning, asked if we could stay with them for a couple of days. Sorry not to run it past you first. I just thought, with everything going on, it would be nice to get some country air.’ He pauses. ‘And have a break from London for a while.’

His meaning is clear – a break from Mark and his threats – and Beth understands why he would want that. But the Surrey countryside will provide that too, and the girls shouldn’t have to miss out on seeing Father Christmas. ‘We can’t go today,’ she says, shaking her head. ‘At least not until later.’

‘Why not?’ Simon asks. ‘Football has finished for the season.’ He pauses, glances at the girls, then lowers his volume. ‘And it’s not safe for you to be here.’

‘Don’t worry, we won’t be here,’ Beth explains. ‘I’ve booked the Christmas trail at Painshill Park, with Santa’s grotto as the grand finale, so we’ll be out of town anyway.’

‘Wait, what?’ Martha pipes up.

Ava gasps open-mouthed and pushes her palms against her chubby cheeks, like she’s auditioning for The Sound of Music. ‘Are we seeing Father Christmas today?’

‘Will we get a present too?’ Martha asks.

‘I told you he exists,’ Ava mumbles victoriously.