He stooped closer and she responded. Her lips brushed against his, light and gossamer-soft. He held her a little tighter, and finally there was an urgency to his kiss. In that moment Tom felt a new understanding between them. As snow began to fall once again, they held each other with the need of lovers.

On Christmas morning a rim of golden fire caressed the eastern hills and light raced across the frozen land with the promise of a clear, cold day ahead. Freddie had risen at the crack of dawn and was soon playing with his clockwork train set with Lily sitting alongside. Last night Tom had given Lily a parcel. As she opened it Florence looked on with undisguised interest. It was the new novel The Borrowers by Mary Norton, a children’s fantasy.

‘What a lovely gift,’ said Lily.

‘A children’s book?’ retorted Florence, clearly unimpressed.

‘Yes, but it can be read by adults as well. It’s just won the Carnegie Medal as the year’s outstanding book by a British author. It’s an excellent choice. How unexpected!’

After Christmas dinner Lily and Florence went into the lounge and switched on the radio.

‘Well, this is it,’ said Florence. ‘I wonder if she’s nervous?’

Queen Elizabeth II was about to make her first Christmas speech to the Commonwealth.

‘Possibly,’ said Lily, ‘but no doubt she will take it in her stride.’

‘Everyone in the land gathered round their radio sets – good luck, Your Majesty,’ said Florence.

Lily looked at the clock. It was seven minutes past three and the reporter had said the speech would be coming live from Sandringham House. You could have heard a pin drop as the Queen began to speak in a calm, clear voice.

‘Each Christmas, at this time, my beloved father broadcast a message to his people in all parts of the world. Today I am doing this to you, who are now my people.’

‘Very regal,’ whispered Florence.

‘What’s regal?’ asked Freddie.

‘Ssshh, I’ll tell you later. Go and play with your train in the kitchen,’ said Lily.

Freddie was happy to oblige.

‘As he used to do,’ continued the Queen, ‘I am speaking to you from my own home, where I am spending Christmas with my family.’

‘Isn’t it wonderful, Lily?’ said Florence. ‘It’s as though she was here in our front room.’

The Queen went on to ask for people to pray for her on Coronation Day next summer and, finally, the broadcast came to an end and the radio was switched off.

‘A job well done, Your Majesty,’ murmured Florence.

That evening Lily and Florence sat by the fire after Freddie was tucked up in bed. Two tall white candles stood on either end of the mantelpiece with sprigs of variegated holly at their base. Bright-red berries twinkled in the candlelight.

‘Another Christmas, Mother,’ said Lily quietly.