Dolly looked at me over Rose’s shoulder and winked. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to; first a weekend job at the Cherry Tree had been mentioned and now another in the school. My mind was whirring with possibilities, but were any of them feasible options when I had nowhere to live and a belly to fill? Perhaps not, but standing in the snowy square surrounded by the fine folk of Wynbridge, I was so happy and determined to live in the moment that I felt anything was possible.

‘I wondered where you two had got to,’ said Beamish, after Rose had gone.

‘We ate in the café,’ Dolly explained, ‘and were lucky enough to get this spot to watch the parade.’

‘Shall we go over to the pub?’ I suggested. ‘It’s freezing out here.’

‘I can’t,’ said Beamish, ‘I’m meeting friends.’

His tone was as chilly as the temperature.

‘Oh,’ I said, ‘right, no problem.’

It felt like he’d grabbed a giant pin and stuck it straight in the heart of my happy balloon. Clearly his mood hadn’t improved even though he was on his holidays.

‘I was hoping you’d come and see the gingerbread house this afternoon,’ Dolly said to him, oblivious of my awkwardness.

‘I’ve had no time,’ he said, practically turning his back on me. ‘I’ve been helping the service engineer with the boiler in school and working on a surprise for you, Dolly. It’s something to do with the Wish List.’

‘What is it?’ she asked, her eyes twinkling.

‘I told you, it’s a surprise,’ Beamish said again. At least he had a smile for Dolly. ‘And I don’t want you trying to suss it out either, so no more questions.’

‘When is it happening?’ I asked, trying to join in.

‘Tomorrow,’ he said, still looking at Dolly. ‘You’ll need to be ready at lunchtime and you’ll definitely need layers. And wellies.’

‘I’m sure I can manage that,’ Dolly beamed.

‘You can come too, Hattie, if you like.’

I was rather taken aback that he had asked me separately. Dolly and I had done everything on the list together. I felt almost spurned, an afterthought, rather than included in whatever it was that he had come up with.

‘But don’t feel obliged,’ he added, shooting me a quick glance.

‘But on second thoughts,’ frowned Dolly, still oblivious of how Beamish was talking to me, ‘I’m not sure about the wellies.’

‘Don’t worry,’ he told her, ‘I’ll help you pull them off!’

Dolly laughed and tapped his arm.

‘You really are a cheeky boy,’ she told him. ‘Is it the Winter Wonderland by any chance?’

‘No,’ he said, looking at me again, but still not offering me a smile, ‘it’s not.’

‘Do you think we’ll still be able to go together?’ I swallowed. ‘I really want to see it.’