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It was uncomfortable to think about it.

Mabel hadn’t moved. She stood still, as if making up her mind about something. Then she drew breath. “There may be some decorations up in the attic if someone wants to take a look. You’ll need to do battle with cobwebs and dust.”

“Did someone say cobwebs and dust? Isn’t that more Halloween than Christmas?” Matt strolled into the room, his hair damp from the shower.

“Did someone say Halloween?” Jason walked in behind him, yawning. “Have we gone back in time? Also, do I smell coffee? I’d kill for coffee.”

It was only because Brooke happened to be looking at Izzy that she saw the brief flash of yearning in her eyes when she glanced at Jason. It was fleeting, and Brooke could easily have convinced herself she’d imagined it, but she was sure she hadn’t.

“We stored decorations up there a while ago,” Mabel said, “although the attic was Walter’s domain, so I don’t know exactly where he put them. I’m not sure what you’ll discover up there but you’re welcome to go hunting around.” She spoke quickly as if she wanted to make the offer before she could change her mind.

Brooke sensed that she was forcing herself to do something she wasn’t entirely comfortable with.

“Are you sure you want us to fetch them? We don’t want to use anything precious and I’m sure we can manage with what we have.” Without revealing anything of their conversation to the others, she hoped she was signalling that Mabel shouldn’t do anything that she might find distressing.

“I’m sure.” Mabel nodded. “It will be nice for the children.”

“Great. An expedition.” Matt put his hand on Jason’s shoulder. “Do you want to do this right now or after breakfast?”

“I’m not sure I want to do it at all. Bad things happen in attics.”

Elsie’s eyes grew round. “What bad things?”

“Nothing.” Brooke answered swiftly, before Elsie’s imagination had time to work. “Why don’t we all have breakfast first and then go decoration hunting.”

Matt strolled to the window. “It’s a shame that the storm is still bad or we could have ventured out to find a tree.”

“That might still be possible if the snow stops tomorrow.” Mabel was holding tightly to the mug. There was no sign of the emotion she’d shown a few minutes earlier. It was as if that moment with Brooke hadn’t happened.

But that short time they’d spent together had changed things because now Brooke knew that she was hurting.

“How about pancakes?” She looked at the girls and Poppy did a twirl.

“Yes! Pancakes.”

Elsie’s face brightened and they all trooped through to the kitchen, and within minutes the room went from being a peaceful space to a mad whirl of activity.

Mabel handed Elsie a bowl and a whisk.

“You’re in charge.”

“Really?” A smile spread across Elsie’s face and she helped Mabel fetch eggs, milk and flour.

“Really. We’ll make a big batch now and we can put the rest in the fridge for tomorrow. You mix the dry ingredients, Elsie. Poppy and I will do the wet ingredients.” Mabel held an egg out to Poppy along with another small bowl. “Would you like to break that?”

Brooke opened her mouth to suggest it wasn’t the best idea to put Poppy in charge of eggs, and then she saw the delight on Poppy’s face and stopped herself.

It was just an egg, she reminded herself. If she missed the bowl then it could be cleaned up.

All the same, she winced as Poppy gave the egg a cheerful smack on the edge of the bowl and the egg plopped into the bowl along with most of its shell.

“Mmm, yum. Shell pancakes.” Matt dipped a spoon in the egg and fished out the shell. “My favourite.”

“Great job,” Mabel said calmly. “I can see you’re an excellent cook.”

“Eggsellent,” Elsie said. “Get it? Eggsellent.”

“Very funny.” Mabel measured out milk and buttermilk. “I always like to add a little vanilla. What do you think?”