I guessed that was because of the distance between us and I couldn’t help wishing that I could be in two places at once. It would have been lovely to see our future home together for the first time, but further photos would have to do.

‘Are you all right?’ Jonathan asked. ‘You sound a little preoccupied.’

‘No, I’m fine,’ I said, trying to sound brighter. ‘I’ve just got a lot on my mind, that’s all.’

‘Like what? You’re supposed to be on holiday, Hattie! Although how you can call a visit to Wynbridge a holiday is beyond me. I still think you should have flown out with me, if only to see the apartment—’

‘I’ve been contemplating a few things I want to sort out before the move,’ I interrupted, thinking now was as good a time as any to broach the issue.

‘Such as?’

‘All sorts really,’ I swallowed as my heart began to skitter again, ‘family stuff.’

‘What family stuff?’ Jonathan asked sharply.

I could sense his smile had slipped and hear the frown in his tone. With just those two words I’d managed to knock his excitement about the apartment straight out of him.

‘Well,’ I swallowed again. ‘Things with Mum and Dad. I’ve been thinking it perhaps wouldn’t be a bad idea . . .’

‘Is this Dolly’s doing?’ he snapped, the line crackling. ‘Has she been putting ideas in your head?’

‘No,’ I lied, ‘of course not.’

‘Really?’

‘It wasn’t Dolly.’ I told him, which was almost true. It had been a combination of her and Beamish.

‘Who then?’ Jonathan demanded. ‘I know you wouldn’t even be thinking about this if someone hadn’t suggested it. It’s private, Hattie. Nothing to do with anyone else.’

Given that I hadn’t felt able mention that Beamish had picked me up from the train station when I arrived, I certainly couldn’t now say that I had been sitting in a café chatting with him over a coffee and a festive biscuit, could I? Jonathan didn’t always have the best reaction to my interactions with other men, even though they were completely platonic, and that was most likely why I’d kept quiet, only now my silence about Dolly’s right-hand man had landed me in hot water.

‘Was it that Rose?’ Jonathan barked. ‘That teacher from Dolly’s school?’

‘Yes,’ I said, clinging to her name and feeling amazed that Jonathan had remembered it. ‘It was Rose and I’m sorry.’ I added. ‘Forget I said anything. I just got a bit carried away what with it being almost Christmas and everything.’

He didn’t say anything.

‘Are you still there?’ I asked quietly.

‘Yes,’ he said, ‘I’m still here, but I have to go. I have to meet the agent. I wish more than ever that you were here with me now.’