Chapter 16

I decided it would be best to give the polar bears a miss.

‘All right,’ Beamish agreed. ‘I suppose we have been gone a while. I’ll show them to you when we come back to see the wonderland.’

‘I’m not sure we should do that now,’ I told him, slipping a little on the path but refusing the offer of his arm.

‘Why ever not?’

Because my boyfriend wouldn’t like it, because you make me feel things I shouldn’t and I think you feel them too, because we can’t seem to spend any time alone together without almost falling on each other’s lips . . .

‘Not because of what just happened?’ he said, stopping. ‘I thought you said I hadn’t ruined your day?’

‘No,’ I said, ‘not because of what just almost happened.’

‘What then?’

‘I just don’t want . . .’ I answered, thinking of the ideas Anna and Molly already seemed to have, ‘anyone getting the wrong idea about us spending so much time together, that’s all.’

‘What does it matter what anyone else thinks?’ He frowned. ‘Besides,’ he added, before striding off again, ‘we’re just friends and given the fact that we’re both free and single how much time we spend together is no one else’s business, is it?’

I felt my festive flame flicker in the wake of his words.

‘But if it helps,’ he said seriously, ‘I promise I won’t try and kiss you again. Let’s put what just almost happened back there down as a moment of madness, nothing more. Let’s say, I was simply seduced by the magic of the Wishing Tree.’

‘All right,’ I agreed, happy to let it drop. ‘No more near-kisses and I’ll come to see the wonderland with you.’

‘Near-kisses?’ He grinned. ‘I thought there’d only been one?’

I put my head down and carried on walking.

I returned the clothes and wellies I had borrowed and after we had said our goodbyes back in the hall kitchen, and offered our truly heartfelt thanks for the wonderful visit, Beamish drove Dolly and me back to the cottage. I didn’t have to worry about how I was going to fill any awkward silences because Dolly’s excitement didn’t allow for any. Her steady stream of reminiscing didn’t require any input from either Beamish or me and I was grateful that she didn’t ask if we had enjoyed our wander around the grounds.

‘Are you expecting a parcel?’ I asked as we pulled up at the cottage gate and I spotted something propped up against the front door.

‘Oh yes,’ said Dolly as Beamish helped her out of the truck. ‘I’d quite forgotten about that. It’s for you, Hattie.’

‘Me?’

‘Yes.’

‘What is it?’

‘An early Christmas present.’

‘Another one,’ I said, thinking of the advent calendar.