‘He always thought the rules didn’t apply to him, didn’t he?’

There was no denying his arrogance. I had once considered it confidence, but now the scales had dropped I had recategorised an awful lot of his personality traits.

‘At least he’s stayed away like I asked. I told him to leave me alone and I haven’t heard a peep out of him.’

It was out of character for him not to keep pushing and doing what he wanted as opposed to what someone else had asked of him. Perhaps the marks he’d left on me had shocked him into submission.

‘That’s true,’ said Dolly. ‘And I’m certain however he reacts you’ll feel better for having it all sorted. And remember; he can’t reach you through the screen or down the telephone line. You have to be strong.’

‘Yes,’ I said, imagining what a relief it would be to have it ended, ‘yes, I’m sure you’re right. Now,’ I added, keen to move our thoughts on, ‘let’s get ready to go, otherwise we’ll miss our table at the Cherry Tree.’

Apparently, it wasn’t unusual to have to book a table at the café at peak times now and, as Dolly and I climbed out of the taxi she had insisted on because of the snow, I could see that this particular evening was indeed a peak time for the town. It felt even busier than the night of the switch-on but that could have been because I felt such a part of the place and knew so many people.

We had barely taken a step before we stopped to talk to someone. Three weeks was all it had taken to integrate back into this warm and vibrant community which had welcomed me with open arms. I had no idea what my future now held, but I couldn’t help wishing, as Dolly and I finally made it over the café threshold, that it would include Wynbridge or a town very much like it, assuming there were any others left.

‘Welcome, ladies,’ said Jemma as she came over to talk us through the menu she had put together for the evening.

The place was chock-a-block and yet she was the epitome of calm. Everything was running like a well-oiled machine and I admired her immensely.

‘It’s a set menu this week,’ she explained. ‘Makes our lives so much easier. Shall I give you a moment or would you like to order drinks now and I can come back for your food order in a minute?’

‘Let’s do drinks now,’ said Dolly.

‘And I want to thank you for the gingerbread house components, Jemma,’ I smiled up at her. ‘What an inspired idea to sell everything in kit form.’