Sue drew a sharp breath in as Blake’s head bent towards her, and his firm full lips met hers. He didn’t touch her, or hold her anywhere else, they were simply joined in a kiss, a wonderful sensuous, soft kiss, and it was a second or two after she heard a deep low moan of desire that Sue realised it was coming from her. Flustered, she broke away.

‘Blimey,’ she said, composing herself.

Blake laughed. ‘No woman has ever had that reaction before.’

‘You are a very good kisser,’ Sue complimented him. ‘Now, I really must go to bed, so much to do. Big day tomorrow! Cheerio!’

She didn’t make any further attempts to shake his hand or say goodnight, or indeed engage in any form of polite conversation. Instead, she scuttled inside, and slammed the huge door behind her, then locked and bolted it as if it were Count Dracula himself outside, on the point of ravishing her. Once the door was secured, she leant her back against it and took a long deep breath.

The trill of her phone in her bag made her jump and Sue scrambled for it, certain that it was Blake, but when she saw the name on the screen, her heart sank. It was Rory.

Christmas Eve

11

‘Mummy.’ Petal sat at the end of the kitchen table eating cereal with her usual gusto, a spoonful for her, a spoonful for Duchess, while Meadow lay on her tummy on the floor, looking thoughtfully at Wash’s dog bowl as if she might prefer that to her Rice Crispies.

‘Yes, darling?’ Sue was looking out of the window, up at the dense white sky, which seemed to hang low over the town. The forecast had said no rain, but that sky looked full of something. Still, at least the pageant rehearsal had gone well last night, and after breakfast the children were going to take her to preview the newly decorated grotto before Nick arrived and it opened for business.

‘When is Daddy coming back? Only it’s Christmas tomorrow. I have got him a beer mat as a present. I got it from the pub; it’s brand new. And what if he is snowed in or something and doesn’t get here? He will be sad.’

Sue turned around, and sat down at the table, smiling at Meadow, and Forest. At least this was something she was now spared, last night’s phone call had changed everything.

‘He’ll be back today, by lunchtime I should think,’ Sue said. ‘Daddy is coming home, and he’s bringing lots of presents.’

‘Is one a gun?’ Forest asked her. ‘I really want a gun, a real one, with bullets.’

‘I shouldn’t think so, dear,’ Sue said, catching Cordelia’s raised brow and ignoring her. Cordelia wouldn’t understand, and neither would Alex or Tamsyn. No one would understand why she was taking Rory back, yet again. No one except for her.