Perhaps a sleigh ride around the grounds might not be such a bad idea after all and perhaps I shouldn’t grumble about the work Dolly’s list involved if visiting places like this also formed a part of it. I could well imagine that the memory of Wynthorpe Hall in winter, recalled while lying beside an infinity pool, under a cerulean sky, would help me cool off if nothing else.

‘I know you weren’t too keen when Catherine mentioned the event . . .’ Dolly said to me.

‘Yes, about that,’ I quickly cut in. ‘I think I might have been a bit hasty.’

Dolly said she would add it to the Wish List and she might even telephone Catherine and ask if there was any chance of a private tour of the hall.

‘I’d love to get a look inside,’ she said, taking in the prettily lit windows, ‘and see how they decorate the family rooms. I love my little cottage,’ she added, ‘but it would be exciting to see how the other half lives, wouldn’t it?’

I knew Dolly had maintained that she always did everything she wanted at Christmas, but clearly she was keener to make some extra special memories for herself than I first realised and even if she didn’t succeed in making me fall back in love with Christmas, I was going to make more of an effort to make sure that she ticked off everything she wanted to achieve.

*

After unloading the truck and making sure Dolly had a cup of tea, some biscuits from Jonathan’s hamper and a well-stoked fire, Beamish asked if I would like to go back into town with him.

‘I’m not going to be long,’ he said. ‘I’ll need a decent night’s sleep ahead of setting up for the fair in the morning, so you can’t use me dragging you out for a late night as an excuse not to come.’

‘It would do you good, Hattie,’ Dolly agreed.

‘All right,’ I said, ‘thank you, Beamish.’

Truth be told, I wouldn’t have minded being dragged out for a late night. It had been a while, although going to the pub with Beamish was going to be a far cry from going out with Jonathan. That would involve hours of preparation; selecting the right outfit and applying flawless make-up. Heading out with a speedy slick of lip gloss and my hair in a messy bun was a completely different kettle of fish.