‘And to Gwyneth,’ Mairi added, ‘for bringing her back into our lives.’

I smiled awkwardly. Had she forgotten I’d kept them from their lives too? It was good of her to put a positive spin on it though.

‘To Lumin and Gwyneth,’ Oscar said.

I lifted my glass with the others and took a sip of champagne, my eyes catching Dylan’s. But then we were pulled into the familiar McClusky ritual of burning the rowan tree branches and, as the family chattered away and got wrapped up in the excitement of the festive period, and I focused on getting Lumin ready for bed, we hardly had a chance to talk. In fact, by the time I returned downstairs, Dylan was already outside with his brother Glenn, watching the fire. I popped my head out of the door into the frigid air and the two men looked up.

‘I’m going to pop to bed now, I think,’ I said, almost hoping Dylan would come inside for a hot chocolate or something.

But he just nodded. ‘Yep, been a busy day. See you in the morning. I bet Lumin will be excited.’

‘Oh, she sure will. Night then.’

‘Night!’ the two brothers called out. Then I closed the door and headed upstairs, the fire of rowan branches flickering behind me.

I slept well that night, which surprised me. I thought my mind would be restless. But then I woke to the sound of Lumin shouting. Her bedroom was right next to mine so I darted to it just as Dylan did the same. We paused as we gazed at each other in the moonlight-flooded landing.

‘You go,’ he said.

‘We’ll both go.’

We both stepped into the room to see Lumin sitting up in bed, eyes wide. ‘I dreamt I was in the lake,’ she sobbed. ‘Under the ice!’

Dylan’s face filled with horror. He ran to her bed. ‘No,’ he quickly said, stroking her head. ‘That will never happen.’

‘Do you promise?’ she said, looking up at him.

I joined them. ‘It’s just a nightmare, a silly nightmare,’ I said. She sank into my arms and I held her until she fell back to sleep. Dylan watched, face sombre.

‘Why would she dream something like that?’ I whispered to Dylan.

‘Maybe she heard us talking about when you fell in the lake?’

‘Maybe.’ I gave her a soft kiss then stood up. ‘She’s asleep.’

Dylan reluctantly stood up too, his face filled with sorrow. We both walked out and I gently closed the door. Dylan walked to the large window on the landing and looked out at the loch.

‘What really happened out there?’ I whispered in the darkness to Dylan.