She wove her way through villagers exclaiming over everything the fair had to offer, to where Daisy, Niall and Zuzanna shared a stall, relaxed and happy as the school term had ended yesterday. Red tinsel threaded Daisy’s dark curls and green tied up Zuzanna’s blonde ponytail, while Niall sported reindeer antlers. Laurel bought two silver wire stars from Niall, getting in before his parents progressed this far, and a Christmas decoration from Zuzanna, made from gold tinsel wound round a wire circlet and hung with tinkly silver bells. Then Laurel turned to Daisy, eyeing the prettily crafted wreaths of holly, cones, berries, baubles and, her especial favourite, a wreath featuring a handful of nuts, which she bought as a present for Grady and Mistletoe Cottage. Last night, Daisy had presented Laurel with a wreath of laurel leaves and red berries, which now hung in pride of place on the studio door.

‘Daisy’s selling more than Niall and I put together,’ Zuzanna said enviously.

‘It’s true – look!’ Beaming, Daisy discreetly opened her cash belt to exhibit a wodge of notes.

‘Wow!’ Having paid, Laurel left her purchases behind the stall while she wandered on.

She checked back to see what Grady was doing and found that Mac and Tonya had moved on but Grady was talking to two men about a bird house, painted to look like a pear-shaped cottage with roses around the door. He’d shaved his prices for the village show and he, too, had gaps in his display. Laurel didn’t approve of him underselling himself but when she’d said so he’d kissed her, winked, and said, ‘It’s the village show.’ He loved Middledip. It was part of him just as he was part of it. All morning Laurel had watched people calling to him, shaking his hand, clapping him on the shoulder. His ready smile had flashed in return, dark eyes gleaming beneath thick brows and hair sweeping his collar.

Carola – head of the village hall committee, organiser of the fair, friend to half the village – whizzed by then, blonde hair swishing busily as she said, ‘Hi, Laurel!’ But she didn’t stop to chat.

Then Laurel heard several familiar voices all calling, ‘Laurel!’ at once.

Hardly able to believe her ears, she swung around to see a group of people hurrying towards her through the Christmas Fair visitors – Alex, Fliss … and Aunt Terri? Terri beamed from beneath her cap of short, straight hair, coat open over her usual untidy ensemble. Fliss’s fluffy blonde hair was a halo almost as bright as her pink corduroy jump suit. Alex’s warm eyes smiled through his trendy specs.

They caught up with her, all of them beaming and talking breathlessly. ‘Alex and I arrived at The Nookery at the same time as your delightful aunt,’ Fliss said, giving Laurel a hard, exuberant hug.