Bella put the box down and calmed herself with a deep breath. Perhaps whoever had given it had unexpected financial difficulties and were too embarrassed to say so. ‘Think positive,’ she told herself. ‘It may not be someone playing a silly joke.’

‘Are you talking to yourself?’ Bella spun as Nick’s voice carried through the open door. She glanced at her watch, realising it was mid-morning already. ‘You know that’s the first sign of madness, right?’

‘I have been told that, but quite frankly, I don’t believe them. I think all the best people talk to themselves, and it hasn’t stopped me yet. Hi, Freddie.’

‘Hi, Miss Moore.’

‘What are you two doing here? I didn’t think anyone would find me all the way back here.’

‘Nina told us where you were. Is everything okay?’ asked Nick, frowning in concern.

‘Yes, fine,’ she trilled. She sounded like a manic canary and she lowered the pitch of her voice. ‘Someone just donated an empty box.’

‘An empty box? That’s horrible.’

‘I’m hoping it’s just a mistake. Anyway, I’ve got a lot more presents to wrap. Which is great, but you know … Lots to do.’ She realised how that might sound. ‘Not that I want you to go – either of you. Feel free to stay. I’m always happy for company.’ Now she sounded like a crazy old spinster desperate to talk to someone. ‘Not that I’m lonely. I’m not. There’s lots to do with the giving tree. Oh crumbs.’

‘Look, Dad. There’s that football I wanted. The blue and green one.’ Freddie dived around Bella and into the shed, picking it up in both hands and stared at it like it was the most precious thing in the world. ‘Urgh, what’s the smell?’

‘What smell?’ Bella followed him inside and rifled through the donations until she found the offending package. It was another small box. A fairly heavy one this time and incredibly smelly.

‘Wow,’ said Nick, grimacing. ‘What the heck is that? And, Freddie, put that ball back please. I don’t think you should be playing with it.’

Bella screwed her nose up as she pulled the box out from under the pile and took it to the workbench. ‘It smells like feet and vomit. I better have a look inside.’ She searched everywhere for a number. Whoever had handed it in hadn’t put the number on but at least she could still figure out who it was for from the contents. Once she knew what it was, she could go through the enormous pile of forms to find the right one, then add the number to the box.

‘It’s going to be worse when you open it,’ Nick said.