‘Castle!’ Meadow and Forest chimed into together. It was Sue’s usual stock reply, although this time she had been about to say ‘a lot of dogs’, as she was not all together sure how long they’d have the castle for.

‘Well, come on then.’ Sue got up. ‘We’ve got a lot to do before the grotto opens, and we should decorate the house a bit more, get some tinsel up, and maybe make some paper chains, don’t you think?’

‘But won’t we all be rushing about because of the pageant like normal?’ Forest asked her. ‘Won’t we be colouring in the back while you shout at men dressed as donkeys?’

‘No,’ Sue said. ‘Today I have delegated. Today, and the whole of the rest of this Christmas, is all about you lot.’

Petal and Forest exchanged a look. ‘I think this means I am not getting a pony,’ Petal said, but rather more cheerfully than she might have. ‘Come on, Mum, wait till you see the grotto!’

It was wonderful. Somehow Tamsyn and Cordelia had turned the solar into an ice palace in a way that Sue would never have been able to envision. The temperature had dropped in the night, so the old and normally mildewed glass was frosted inside and out, and gilded with silver glitter. Sue had asked Roger Temple, the Christmas tree man, to bring her any of his waifs and strays and he had really gone to town. The whole of the large conservatory was packed with Christmas trees, row upon row of them, creating a little winter wonderland, cut through with a winding path that eventually brought one to the clearing where Santa would be waiting. Each tree was covered in lights, which twinkled gently, and the first consignment of fake snow had been liberally strewn underfoot, crunching as the children scampered over it. From the ceiling they had taped what had to be at least a hundred stars, made of cardboard and tinfoil. Some of them, probably Meadow’s, looked less like stars and more like … well, nothing really, but each one swayed gently, glistening in the reflected light of the tree decorations. In the middle of the clearing was a big, red velvet wing-backed chair, which had sat unloved for years in Rory’s study, and piled up all around it were presents, and two great big sacks filled with small gifts that the children could take away.

‘It’s completely wonderful,’ Sue said, picking Meadow up and stretching her arm around Petal and Forest too.

‘We mainly did it all,’ Forest said. ‘Cordelia drank beer.’

‘I did not,’ Cordelia protested, as she emerged from the trees. ‘Cider!’

‘It really is great, it’s amazing what a designer’s eye can do,’ Sue said. ‘Perhaps we should have it here every year …’ Her voice trailed off as she realised that perhaps this time next year they might not be living in Castle House.