The conversation moved on to lighter topics, how much Bev was enjoying working in the chocolate café. She then brought out a tray of local cheese and biscuits with a red onion chutney she’d made, which was absolutely delicious. It was creeping towards eleven o’clock when Pete came back in, having been cajoled into a couple of pints after the village meeting.

‘Right, well I’d better be going,’ Emma announced. ‘Got a few busy days ahead. I’ll see you at the shop on Wednesday, Bev.’

‘Look forward to it. You take care, Em.’

It was rather lovely having her friend as her new member of staff. Emma just hoped she’d lay off the matchmaking for now though. It had all been aired, and Emma was sticking by her decision.

42

The village had been buzzing with festive atmosphere all day. Men with a cherry picker were spotted, angled awkwardly, hanging strings of light bulbs between the lamp posts. There were shouts of ‘this way a bit’, and ‘that way a bit’, and then a huge fir tree went past on the back of a trailer heading down to the harbour-side.

Emma had made up a big tray of tea in disposable containers and taken them down for the workers at one point with a plate of her choc-chip shortbread. She left the refreshments down by the harbour wall and gave them a shout, spotting Pete up a ladder putting huge silver baubles on the Christmas tree. The tray had only a few crumbs half an hour later when she went back, so that seemed to have gone down well.

She’d agreed to go along later and watch the big village light-up that was going ahead that night. It was usually a lovely event. Every year, the ladies of the WI provided mince pies and the pub gave out mulled wine, with the local mayor arriving for the big moment to flick the switch. There was always that second of tension in case they didn’t work, and all would remain dark, but they hadn’t had a problem in all the years Emma had been here. Fingers crossed all would go well tonight.