‘It does to me,’ I told her. ‘More than anything, and there are still plenty of things to tick off. I’m not going to do anything which will jeopardise us finishing this list, Dolly. Being here with you, and everyone at school and in town and at Wynthorpe Hall, has shown me what I’d be missing out on if I continued to think about the season how I did at the hotel, and as a result of adopting Jonathan’s attitude towards Christmas as my own.’

‘Do you really mean that?’

Yes,’ I said, ‘I really do. Christmas as it turns out, really does matter. And I’ll tell you something else, even if Jonathan hadn’t put his parts on at the weekend, there are things I’ve felt and experienced here in Wynbridge which were already making me question whether I was making the right decision or just going along with it because it was the easiest option.’

Dolly started to smile.

‘And yes, I know you might have suggested that before,’ I smiled back, ‘but I suppose I just needed to work it out for myself, and being here has certainly helped me to do that.’

I wouldn’t have been at all surprised if that had been the real reason behind her asking me to visit.

‘Well that’s something,’ she said, taking my face in her hands, ‘but what are you going to do now? Go back to your parents?’

I would have liked to say, stay with her in the cottage for the holidays, but I didn’t. I daresay she was looking forward to some well-earned peace and quiet after the bell went at three fifteen today.

‘Perhaps,’ I said, ‘but for now, I don’t want to have to think about anything other than looking after you, Dolly.’

This comment was rewarded with a particularly stern look, the one usually reserved for the most disobedient children in school.

‘And making the most of my time here to tick things off the Wish List,’ I added to make amends.

*

There wasn’t a dry eye amongst the adults in the hall that afternoon. Granted, the children were positively fizzing with festive excitement, but they were all aware of how strange school was going to feel when they returned in the new year and Dolly wasn’t in it. She had been an educational and formative part of the lives of generations of families in Wynbridge and I couldn’t imagine what it must feel like knowing you were loved and respected by so many people.

The presentation of gifts, cards and flowers continued long after the last bell of the term had rung out, with children lining up to present their tokens.

‘I have a feeling of déjà vu,’ Dolly kept joking. ‘It feels like we’ve done this all before. You are very naughty to spoil me again.’