As the meal progressed the butcher manoeuvred himself closer to the priest and the mayor to talk business and to make sure that everyone knew he was the head of the elders and that not even a wedding dress was going to make him relinquish the position.

Edith had seen the relief on the faces of both the butcher and her father when the rings had been exchanged. At least this part of the contract had been upheld. Sitting alone she felt an unbearable sadness at what might have been. If it were Demetrius seated next to her this would have been the happiest moment of her life. She felt herself to be inside her coffin in the vestibule of the church, the congregation milling round her, waiting for the lid to be nailed down. For a moment the room spun.

After supper a small band of musicians – not one of whom had an ear for music – started to play and the tables were pushed aside for dancing. No one could quite put a finger on when or why it had begun but an undeniable sadness mingled with regret hung over the party and as soon as it was considered polite the guests began to leave. Before Flora left she asked if she could bring the dress in the morning for a fitting.

The cabinet maker was asleep in a chair and Edith saw no point in waking him.

‘You liked your present?’ said the butcher. She never took her eyes off him and under such a bright glare he felt ill at ease. He brushed the thoughts from his mind. ‘I think it was a great success.’

He moved to kiss her and Edith stepped away.

‘We have enough time,’ he said and picked up his hat.

When the last guests had left, Edith took down the cuckoo clock, pulled the cuckoo free from its cage and affixed her ring to it. She found a small box, and placed the cuckoo and the ring inside. Her father raised his head to see his daughter at the door in her coat.

‘Going to the butcher’s house?’ he asked. ‘Good… good…’ and he fell asleep again.

Taking a lantern she set off, the snow whirling about her.

In the darkness of her thoughts, she said, ‘Oh my love, walk beside me.’

‘I’m beside you still.’

At the butcher’s house she knocked on the back door. The butcher, who had taken off his coat and unbuttoned his trousers so he might breathe more easily, was shocked and excited to see Edith standing there.

‘Come in,’ he said.