‘Ever?’ Grady had asked, sounding resigned but dismayed.

Laurel had examined her imagination and confirmed, dolefully, ‘Ever.’ She’d sighed. ‘You’re welcome at The Nookery any time but I know you can’t just dump Mac and family.’

He’d replied indirectly. ‘Let’s spend Christmas Eve together so we’ll have that and Christmas morning.’

And she’d pasted on a smile to say, ‘Lovely! Though I’ll need to leave early to help with the meal at The Nookery.’ The conversation had only emphasised that she caused Grady problems.

Scarlett, her rift with Octavia continuing, arrived most days on the bus from Bettsbrough to hang out with Daisy, Niall and Zuzanna, who seemed to have opened their ranks to her. Laurel once listened unrepentantly at Daisy’s door, more than half expecting Scarlett to be snarky or intimidating away from the adults. She wasn’t. Her laughter rang out often and no one passed a cross word.

Terri was well ensconced in the spare bedroom, and Laurel was beginning to feel one person too many at The Nookery, now the main bathroom had to be shared three ways instead of two. Although they hadn’t actually seen each other since last Christmas, Terri and Rea spent loads of time together. They’d always got on well, sharing interests in the home and garden and even liking the same things on TV. Rea had finished work for her Christmas break and now Terri walked to Gabe’s paddock every day with her to see Daybreak. It only needed the sale agreement to be signed and money transferred and Daybreak would officially be Rea’s. Rea hadn’t hacked yet, but she rode in the safe familiarity of the paddock. Her love for Daisy had provided a trigger to her venturing out of the house but it seemed to be pretty, grey Daybreak who helped soothe her anxieties the most. Gabe’s nephew Ben – who was on the other side of the family to Bertie – was soon to build the stable. It was lying in pieces outside the paddock, ready. Meanwhile, Daybreak was wearing two rugs and sharing Snobby’s field shelter whether the curmudgeonly old pony liked it or not.

Rea and Terri also spent hours poring over the brochures Terri had downloaded for suitable properties on sale in Middledip old village, where she was interested in living. Her hot favourite was a sweet cottage just around the corner in Main Road, only a few minutes’ walk away. It had two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs and most of the downstairs had been knocked into one open-plan space, which Terri said ‘saved on doors’.

Ten times a day it crossed Laurel’s mind that she could leave Middledip if Terri was so close. She felt guilty, because she’d made promises to Daisy that she’d stay a while, but surely Terri was a good enough substitute?