‘He’ll be fine. The most he’ll get from being kidnapped by your mum is a sugar rush or a tummy ache. Who’s Santa tonight?’

‘Mr Whittaker agreed to stay on as long as I buy him some of Mrs Bumble’s mulled wine.’

‘Good man. I was worried you might ask me.’

‘I couldn’t ask you to miss out on doing this with Freddie. Who, by the way, might have more than just a sugar rush.’ Bella pointed at Freddie coming back with three enormous cookies and a loaded hot chocolate.

Nick’s mouth watered. ‘You have to admit that does look good.’

‘It does, but I’m not moving until I’ve seen the parade. This is one of my favourite nights of the year.’

Bella’s joy for Christmas couldn’t be contained in her grin or in the air of excitement that radiated from her, and Nick found himself smiling too. Last year, he had watched the parade with Freddie and Paige, but Paige had taken no enjoyment in it. She moaned about the naffness of the floats, the lack of build-up and how small-scale everything was in Meadowbank. She’d wanted to go to Winter Wonderland in London, but Nick had never fancied that. The crowds, the noise, the fear of Freddie getting lost. It just wasn’t for him, and he wasn’t sure if Freddie would enjoy it all that much either. Nick knew he should have seen it for the warning sign it was but hadn’t wanted to admit it, much like Bella had talked about the other day. If Nick was honest, he’d been slowly falling out of love with his wife for a long time, but the bond of shared parental responsibility had shrouded it.

‘All right, mate?’ said Len as he and Trish stopped beside them, crowding in to see the green. Peter scurried through to stand with Freddie.

‘Wow, Freddie, where did you get that from?’

Freddie mumbled a reply through a mouthful of white chocolate and cranberry cookie and Peter turned around looking hopefully at Trish.

‘After the parade, okay?’

Bella said hello and after a quick chat edged over to her parents to speak to them.

‘So,’ said Len. ‘Here with the delectable Miss Moore, hey?’

‘I’m here with you too, mate, and the rest of the village.’

‘You two make a good couple – don’t they, Trish?’

‘They do and I for one am very happy about it. She was far too good for Evan, and you were far too good for Paige. I’m happy for you both. She’ll be good for Freddie too.’

‘She’s very easy to fall in love with,’ Len agreed. ‘Not as easy as you, my love,’ he added under Trish’s glare. ‘But she’s a diamond, and she doesn’t know it.’