It was about ten days since Jared had been to supper. Since then, Connie had seen him once in the village shop, and rushed past him on a walk with Riley in the woods. Each time she’d barely acknowledged his presence. But she looked for him everywhere, twitched every time she left the house. And the vibrations of even these fleeting encounters haunted her for hours afterwards, reminding her of the speeding, out-of-control train that was about to derail her life. Their plans for getting away had fizzled out as Devan became more involved in the hospice project, so even that chance of a brief let-up in the pressure on her had been snatched away.

Devan met up with Jared in the pub at the weekend, but she declined to join them – her husband still bewildered by how she had taken against his new friend. She stubbornly refused to comment.

After a long catch-up, Connie said to her daughter, ‘Now, Christmas.’

Caitlin chuckled. It was a fraught subject in their family. Connie loved Christmas and delighted in every aspect of the festivities. Caitlin was with her father in thinking it was a waste of time and money – although her attitude had softened since Bash was born. Ash’s family, who were Hindu, always had a secular celebration in Manchester, but this year it was Connie and Devan’s turn to host.

‘Well,’ her daughter said, ‘I’ve talked to Ash, and we thought we could do the honours this year.’

‘Really?’ Connie was secretly thrilled. She certainly didn’t have the headspace right now. Any excuse to leave the village and Jared’s clutches would be welcome, too. It would be just like Devan to ask the bloody man for Christmas ‘because he’s all on his own’.

‘We’ve never done it, Mum. It’s definitely our turn,’ Caitlin was saying. ‘I’m quite excited. You and Dad can stay a couple of nights. We’ll make a thing of it.’

‘Ha! Do I detect an uncharacteristic enthusiasm?’ Connie teased. ‘We’ll bring the turkey. They do delicious free-range ones at Sweeney’s.’

‘Great. I’m actually looking forward to staying put, for once. And you can help cook the bird – I haven’t the first clue.’