Felix took up the rest of the tale. ‘Seeing as we’d missed the train for Wales, he arranged for us to get a lift with a pal of his, and here we are.’

It was at this point that Heulwyn called them down for their dinner. As the others left the room ahead of them, Felix held a hand across Roz’s path, his brow raised. ‘A quick word?’

She nodded. ‘Me first. I’m so sorry, Felix …’ She hushed as he placed a finger to her lips.

‘Let’s not dwell on the past. If anyone should be sorry, it’s me for letting my stupid pride get in the way.’

Hooking her arm through his, she smiled up at him. ‘You had every right, but like you say, let’s forget the past, and concentrate on the future.’

Leaning down he kissed her softly.

Mabel called up from the bottom of the stairs. ‘Are you two coming or what?’

Sliding his hand into hers, Felix led Roz down the stairs, and Roz sat in the seat next to her mother’s. Placing her hand over Inge’s she gave it a squeeze. ‘I thought this Christmas was going to be rotten. Just goes to show how wrong one can be.’

Smiling, Inge squeezed her daughter’s hand in return. ‘Next year will be even better, just you wait and see.’

Feeling happier than she had in some time, Roz turned her thoughts to those she had left behind at Hollybank. She couldn’t help thinking that Joyce and Suzie would not be having a merry Christmas, and said as much. ‘I hope Joyce and Suzie manage to have a good Christmas, because when all’s said and done, they’ve only got each other.’

‘I forgot, you don’t know, do you?’ Felix clapped a hand to his forehead as he relayed his encounter with Callum and Suzie and all that had transpired as a result of their meeting.

‘I knew it!’ hissed Roz. ‘Didn’t I say, Mabel?’

Mabel nodded. ‘We may have got it wrong about his wife, but we hit the nail on the head when it came to his mam.’

‘Poor Lilith,’ said Roz, ‘as if things weren’t bad enough, knowing that your own son had left you like a sitting duck!’

‘Well, Callum’s going to get all that’s coming to him now,’ said Felix, ‘and I have to admire Suzie for the way she stood up to him. It can’t have been easy.’

There followed a chorus of ohs and ahs as Heulwyn placed the chicken on the table, ready for Howell to carve.

‘Tuck in, folks!’

They didn’t need asking twice. All the excitement had created quite an appetite, and when they felt they couldn’t eat another morsel the men retired to the parlour whilst the women did the dishes.

‘You’re going to have to tell me more about your work with the French Resistance,’ said Roz as she took a plate over to the sink.