Slowly the smell of gingerbread permeated every nook and cranny in the cottage and I was relieved the walls were going to need trimming so we would have plenty to nibble on as we shaped the framework of the house once it had cooled. There were also a couple of boiled sweets left over after we had crushed enough to make the stained-glass windows.

‘More snow,’ muttered Dolly, as she stood at the kitchen window.

‘Really?’

‘Yep,’ she said, shifting over so I could see, ‘look. There’s not much to speak of yet, but if it keeps up . . .’

‘I’ll end up snowed in for Christmas,’ I grinned.

I rather liked the thought of being cut off from the rest of the world. I could always find somewhere with enough signal to Skype my parents to wish them seasonal salutations and the Wynbridge wind could stir up deep enough snowdrifts to keep Jonathan at bay should he decide to try and make a return visit once I had told him what I had decided.

‘You don’t sound as though you’d mind being here a bit longer,’ Dolly chuckled.

‘Of course, I wouldn’t,’ I laughed. ‘I can’t imagine there’s anywhere more perfect in the entire world than Wynbridge to spend Christmas in.’

‘Well I never,’ Dolly smiled, ‘you really have had a festive turnaround, haven’t you?’

‘Just a bit,’ I smiled back.

‘In that case,’ she said, ‘I hope you know that you would be more than welcome to spend Christmas with me if you wanted to.’

‘Really?’

‘Really,’ she confirmed. ‘Unless you’d rather be with your parents. I had thought about asking before, but didn’t want you to feel obliged.’

‘Obliged?’

I had no idea why she would think I’d feel that. I had assumed she hadn’t mentioned me staying on because she was looking forward to having the cottage to herself again.

‘Because I’m here all on my own,’ she said, colouring slightly.

‘You mean, you wouldn’t want a pity guest staying under your pretty roof,’ I teased. ‘Someone who was staying because they would otherwise feel guilty about leaving you on your lonesome.’

‘Something like that.’

I was trying to make her laugh again, but it didn’t work. I hoped I hadn’t offended her.

‘Oh Dolly,’ I said, pulling her into a gentle embrace. ‘I’ve never known anyone with as many friends as you’ve got. I’ve barely ever seen you on your own, but none the more for that, I would love to spend Christmas with you.’

‘Really?’

‘Really.’

‘But what about your parents?’

‘Well,’ I said, ‘we’re definitely going to see each other within the next few days and I’m really looking forward to spending time with them and getting everything straightened out, but I wouldn’t want to put our first get-together under too much pressure.’