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“Well if you want a good royal story, I can tell you about the time I accidentally ate Princess Anne’s cheese salad,” said Hannah, arching an eyebrow that made Lottie’s head spin. Hannah seemed to have regained some of her confidence after the shock of the call from Mark and all that had followed.

Freya leaned forward. “OK, I’m in, I want to hear more.”

“Well,” said Hannah, “I was covering a series of visits she was doing to health clinics across London years ago. We had a twenty-minute break at the end of one of the visits, and we’d all been prepared sandwiches and stuff by the catering staff at this one health centre. I was a bit late arriving, as I’d had to interview the health trust’s CEO, so by the time I got there, it was just a few curly sandwiches and a cheese salad. I thought it looked pretty good, so I picked it up, and just as the first forkful got to my mouth, she sweeps in.”

“Princess Anne?” said Zack, lapping up the story.

“The very same,” said Hannah. “She looked at my salad, then at me, and then at my fork. And then she said, ‘Oh’. Nothing more.”

“Ouch,” said Anya.

“Yeah – they were supposed to put her food in a separate room, but when she’d arrived in the room that had been set aside for her, it wasn’t there. So she went looking.” Hannah grinned. “I don’t think I’ve ever been more mortified.”

“I bet,” said Lottie. “You’re normally the picture of cool, calm and collected.” With that, Lottie moved her hand and rested it gently on Hannah’s thigh. Smiling to herself, she wondered if Hannah would remain cool and calm now.

Hannah coughed, before recovering herself. “Oh, it’s all smooth on top, but mad paddling feet under the surface.”

“Like a swan,” said Freya. “Whereas Lotts is paddling feet underneath and flapping hands on top, too.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” said Hannah, as Lottie drew a finger up her leg. “I think everyone has moments of calm.” She caught her breath, sending a thrill through Lottie.

“Your Lottie is magnificent,” said Anya, fixing Freya with a stare.

“She is,” agreed Sunitra.

Freya grinned. “I know,” she said quietly.

“We should have a toast,” said Zack. “To our Lottie!”

Lottie found herself slightly wrong-footed by the gesture, but before she knew it, everyone was raising their glasses to her. “Our Lottie,” they all chimed in. Beside her, she heard Hannah whisper her name, just after the others, and felt a shiver. She squeezed Hannah’s thigh.

Suddenly, an alarm went off and all the lights came on. Lottie stood in panic, then stopped.

“The power’s back on,” she exclaimed.

“It is,” said Anya. “I’ll go and check the kitchen’s OK.”

“I’ll go and turn off that alarm. It’ll be something in the office.” Lottie made eye contact with Hannah. “I’ll be back imminently.”

Lottie hurried down the corridor, appreciating the brighter lighting. Anne-Marie was in reception already, clicking through screens on the computer system. “Can you reset the burglar alarm, Lotts?”

“Yeah, on it,” said Lottie, making her way to the control box near the big wooden front doors. It was a job she’d done many times before. She returned to reception to find Anne-Marie fanning herself. “You OK?”

“Oh I’m so relieved,” said the older woman. “I was convinced that old rickety generator from the farm wouldn’t do what we needed even if it did come tomorrow. I had visions of us spending Christmas in the darkness with cold food.”

“Oh, Anne-Marie, I had no idea you were so worried,” said Lottie. “You always seem so relaxed and practical.” She put a comforting hand on Anne-Marie’s elbow.

“Yes, I usually am, but I don’t know, there’s something about Christmas that seems to heighten all emotions, I think.” Anne-Marie rubbed her eyes wearily.

“Oh, I get that,” said Lottie. In fact, she was beginning to think she was experiencing some heightened emotions herself. Or at least, a heightened libido. “You going home now?”

“Yeah, I’m pooped,” said Anne-Marie. “But there’s plenty of staff on tonight. You go and rejoin your people in the bar. I spotted you in there earlier. It’s nice to see you relaxing and kicking back.” Anne-Marie gave Lottie a tired smile.

A Scottish reel interspersed with Christmas carols was playing through the bar’s music system, which had been silent for the last twenty-four hours. Brian had come in to enjoy it all, bringing his trolley with him.

Lottie greeted him.

“All the fun seems to be happening in here, this evening,” he said. “Your usual?”