Dan gave Lizzy a large package which she opened slowly, taking off the paper carefully. Everything in their house was saved. Kate knew it was annoying Dan, who would have ripped the paper off regardless, and allowed herself a tiny smile from her seat by the fire. She heard Lizzy’s intake of breath as she took out a sheepskin flying jacket. It was the latest fashion, and for some unknown reason this annoyed Kate even more. Trust Dan to know exactly what a sixteen-year-old girl would want for Christmas! Lizzy threw herself into her father’s arms and hugged him.

‘Oh, Dad, it’s great, just what I wanted! Wait till Joanie sees this!’

Evelyn passed over Kate’s present and once more the slow ritual of opening began. Kate sat back in the chair watching her daughter with glee. As Lizzy took out the tiny box Kate caught her daughter’s eye.

‘Is it what I think, Mum?’

‘Open it and see.’

Lizzy reverently opened the box and squealed with delight. She threw her arms around her mother.

‘Oh, thank you! Thank you! I thought they’d be too expensive!’ She held up the sovereign earrings for all to see.

‘Come on, love, now open mine.’

Evelyn pushed a package into her hands and Lizzy opened it excitedly.

‘Oh, Gran!’

Evelyn laughed as Lizzy brought out a pair of Reebok bumpers.

‘I knew you wanted them so I thought I’d get them.’

‘Oh, Mum!’ Kate knew they cost over eighty pounds and shook her head at her mother. ‘You shouldn’t have spent that much!’

‘You only live once and money’s for the spending, I’m thinking.’

‘Hear, hear.’ Dan’s voice was wistful. ‘Now then, you two, here’s your presents.’ He gave Kate and Evelyn small packages.

‘Oh, you shouldn’t have, Dan, I never got you anything.’

Kate opened her present to find a bottle of Joy, her favourite perfume. Evelyn had a bottle of Chanel No. 5.

‘Now isn’t that grand? I’ve never had a bottle of real French perfume before. Thanks, Dan.’

‘You’re welcome. All women should be cosseted at some time, Eve, that’s my motto.’

Kate felt an urge to ask him how many he had cosseted over the years, but bit it back and instead smiled at him.

‘Thanks, Dan, it’s lovely.’

‘Still your favourite, I hope?’

‘Yes, it’s still my favourite.’

Kate watched as Lizzy shoved a present into her father’s hands. Then she went to the kitchen and poured herself out a glass of wine.

She stared at the perfume in her hands and sighed.

Oh Dan, she thought, why did you have to do this?

It brought back too many memories and she wasn’t fit to cope with them today. She had too much on her mind. She didn’t need to be reminded of how lonely she was.

Not today.