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“It’s not finished yet. Mabel and I have finished a draft.” Elsie snuggled deeper under the covers, clutching a Tripalot story that Mabel had given her. “It’s our first attempt. It will change.”

“You finished a draft in one day? That was fast.”

“Mabel said we worked well together. She said I was a perspiration.”

“I think you mean inspiration, although from what I could see there was definitely perspiration involved, too. You worked hard.” Brooke stroked her hair, felled by the love she felt. “I had fun, too.”

“You’re good at drawing rabbits. I never knew.”

“I never knew, either.” One of Elsie’s curls wound itself around her finger. She looked so innocent, lying there with her eyes drifting shut. It was hard to imagine her leaving home and living her own life.

Elsie yawned. “When we get home can we do more drawing together?”

“Yes, I’d like that.” There had been a few moments where all she’d wanted was to be transported home, but she didn’t feel that way anymore. There was something about being cocooned here in the storm together that was infinitely more relaxing. At home, there would be hundreds of jobs that needed doing. There would always be some reason why she wouldn’t feel able to settle down to play with the children.

“You won’t be too busy? Usually, you’re too busy to play for long.”

Brooke felt a shaft of guilt. “We’ll make time. It will be a priority.”

“What’s a priority?”

“When something is important, you do it before other things. And drawing with you is important.” She tucked the covers around Elsie.

“Mabel needs to write to Santa about her daughter. That’s a priority.” Elsie’s eyes were closed now.

“You’re tired. Time to sleep.” Brooke leaned over and kissed her. “Daddy and I will be downstairs if you need us.” Drinking wine and kissing.

In the other bed Poppy was already asleep, her eyelashes feathering her cheeks, her toy Not-A-Cat tucked under her chin.

Brooke smiled. So much for wanting to stay up late. Thanks to all the energy expended by Jason and Izzy, Poppy had no energy left, and that happened rarely.

All afternoon they’d occupied her, first with pizza making and then with a hilarious game of hide-and-seek. Brooke had heard the thunder of feet on stairs and corridors and shrieks of ready or not, here I come as they’d raced around the house searching for each other. The cats had taken refuge behind the sofa in the library, finding this new change to their environment all very loud and undignified.

From her position at the desk drawing rabbits, Brooke had watched them, noticing the way Izzy and Jason had worked together to come up with ideas to entertain Poppy. They were like young parents, only with more energy.

Hopefully, they would still have enough energy to enjoy the evening ahead.

Seeing that Elsie was already asleep, Brooke turned off the light and walked through to the other bedroom to get dressed.

Matt raised a questioning eyebrow and she lifted her finger to her lips.

“We have to be quiet,” she mouthed, and he nodded and then gave a slow smile and crossed the room to her.

“This is fun. An adultonly evening, even if we are doing it in order for you to pursue your shameless matchmaking agenda.”

“I suggested a cosy, festive evening, that’s all. And you make it sound as if we never have adult time. We do.”

“I know. Every Saturday. Wine and kisses.” He pulled her close. “I always enjoy wine and kisses.”

She slid her arms round his neck. “Which do you enjoy most?”

His mouth hovered close to hers. “The wine, obviously. The wine is always great.”

She gave him a push and opened her suitcase. “I have to get dressed.”

“No problem. I’ll watch.” He sprawled on the bed and did exactly that and she felt ridiculously self-conscious as she found the dress she’d been saving for Christmas Eve dinner at her parents’.

Guilt nudged at her as she thought of them trying to handle their disappointment, but she did her best to ignore it. She couldn’t do anything about it. And she’d tried hard. It wasn’t as if she’d chosen not to spend Christmas with them. She’d done everything possible to make it to her parents’ house, but the weather hadn’t supported her. And now she was here, she was going to make the most of it.