‘I just hope it doesn’t snow and block us all in like last year. My first proper Yorkshire Christmas and I thought I’d come to the Arctic wastes!’

‘When are you going north?’

‘For New Year’s Eve. I can’t wait to see Gus’s face when I produce two puppets. We can make our own show.’

‘Netta, will you call and see Vida sometime over Christmas? I’m not exactly welcome in the hoose. Now I’ll have to love you and leave you, hen. Time for rehearsals. See you sometime and here’s what I owe you.’ Dixie plonked down the pound notes, gathered her parcels, gave Netta a theatrical kiss on the cheek. She fled out into the darkening street, leaving more questions than answers hanging in the air.

*

There was so much to finish off before the Christmas holiday: two last-minute alterations, dressing the Rosebud dolls, sending off the Christmas parcel. The Stratharvar parcel arrived early and Netta shoved it under her little artificial tree. She was going to be spending Christmas alone again. It was her choice but that didn’t mean there weren’t decorations to be put up, paper chains and lanterns, bringing in holly and ivy from the garden to trim up her fireplace. She was so busy there was no time to brood. The girls from Oldroyds would bring Christmas to her hearth. Each would have one of the sequinned quilted stars she had made for her tree.

On Christmas Eve it was snowy enough to look like a Christmas card. The road was still clear down into Griseley town centre and the mill chimneys sparkled with hoar frost as the charabanc edged its way cautiously from Oldroyds, packed with excited children, steaming up the windows and writing love hearts and messages for passers by to see. Netta didn’t know who was the more thrilled to be going to the theatre on Christmas Eve: she or they.

Tea was a bunfight, a noisy affair with paper hats and crackers. Father Christmas, who looked suspiciously like their Medical Officer, handed round sweets and balloons. Then they trooped the party across the slushy streets to the theatre where they chattered like flocks of starlings until the house lights went down.