‘Goodbye, David … and thank you for the flowers.’

After he left, she lay staring thoughtfully into space, mildly surprised at how good it had felt to see him. How much easier things would have been if she could only have fallen in love with him.

Chapter Twenty

On Sunday 18 December shortly after Kathy’s nineteenth birthday the twins were christened in the little church of St Peter’s in Mancetter. At one point it looked unlikely that the baptism would go ahead for the country was lying beneath a thick carpet of snow but somehow they managed to get there. The service was beautiful, and the twins were as good as gold. And in their snow-white christening robes, lovingly stitched and embroidered by Sunday and Cissie over many long nights, the twins looked beautiful. Their little personalities were beginning to develop now. Thomas was the more solemn of the two; he rarely cried and was content to lie in his cot, whereas Daisy had a ready smile for everyone and loved to be picked up all the time, and they were adored equally by everyone around them.

George stood as the twins’ godfather and Cissie and Livvy were their godmothers. John Willerby had insisted that the party that followed should be held at Treetops. At first Sunday had been against the idea but as he pointed out, there really wasn’t enough room to hold it in the lodge so in the end, much to Livvy’s disgust, she agreed.

It took them twice as long as it should to get back to the house for the roads were treacherous and even impassable in parts but eventually everyone arrived safely to find John’s maid Edith had fires roaring and a feast fit for a king laid out on the dining room table. Mrs Gay, the cook, had been busy baking for days and she had done them proud. There were whole hams, fresh from the oven, crispy joints of pork and beef and dishes full of vegetables, and roast and mashed potatoes as well as pies, cakes and all manner of delicious desserts.

Giles was one of the first to arrive home and stood in the hallway helping the guests off with their coats as they stamped the snow from their shoes, their faces glowing and their noses red with cold. A huge Christmas tree stood in one corner of the hallway and instantly there was a party atmosphere.

‘May I help you off with your coat, madame?’ Giles asked Livvy as she came through the door. There was a teasing twinkle in his eye, but she glowered at him.

It was the first time she had stepped inside Treetops since they had moved into the lodge and she had no intention of pretending to be pleased about being there.

‘I can manage quite well, thank you!’ she said icily, turning her back on him, and Sunday, who was right behind her, sighed.