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Wanda’s eyes lit up with hope. ‘You mean you might get back together?’

‘No! I don’t mean that. I meant that we’ll have to find a way of getting through Christmas somehow.’

Wanda visibly deflated. ‘You’re not sending him home to London?’

‘It’s his life but no, I haven’t asked him to leave. He’s here now and he’s also doing some research. I’m going to talk to him as soon as I get a chance, but for now, can we please try and relax and temporarily forget he’s here?’

‘If that’s what you want,’ Wanda muttered. ‘And I am so sorry I interfered.’

Katie patted her arm. ‘Try to forget it now and come down when you’re ready. We are here to enjoy ourselves, after all.’

Knowing it would be impossible to forget Ned was a ten-minute boat ride away and next door to Arlo, Katie sat on her bed and allowed herself a few minutes to calm down before changing into a Christmas jumper in the hope of lightening the mood. It was midnight blue, with a Christmas tree made of books woven into it, topped with a sequinned star.

Jess was at the breakfast bar and Athene was inspecting the contents of the larder fridge. ‘There’s enough food to feed an army.’

‘I over-catered. Arlo brought it all over the morning I arrived.’

‘He’s a useful man, Arlo. Wow, there’s a dedicated wine section down here too.’ Athene smiled at Katie. ‘Lovely jumper, by the way.’

‘It’s very festive,’ Jess said from a stool at the breakfast bar.

‘Too soon?’ Katie asked, trying to smile.

Athene laughed. ‘It’s four days to Christmas so no. I wish I’d got into the festive spirit.’ She was wearing black wide-leg jeans and a black cashmere jumper with a gold chain. ‘I’m the original party pooper,’ she said cheerfully.

‘I’m sure Keswick market will have a Christmas jumper stall,’ Katie said.

‘That’s what I’m worried about,’ said Athene and replaced the fizz in the fridge.

‘Well, I thought I’d start the party early.’ Katie gave a sigh. ‘We all need it.’

‘You definitely do after the arrival of our extra visitor. I take it neither you nor Jess knew Ned was here?’

Jess gave a snort. ‘I didn’t!’ She hesitated. ‘Although I have a horrible feeling I might have let slip we were coming up to the Lakes when I bumped into him in town recently. I didn’t tell him where we were going exactly though he did seem very interested. Oh shit, I hope he’s not here because of me.’

‘It’s not you,’ Katie said, while wondering how often Ned did ‘bump into’ her friends and family.

She slid on to the stool next to Jess while Athene poured them all coffees and leaned against the worktop.

‘I may as well tell you that Wanda invited him,’ Katie said.

‘Oh, God, no,’ Jess said.

Athene pulled a face. ‘For heaven’s sake, why?’

‘I think she thought it would be a lovely Christmas surprise.’

Athene rolled her eyes.

Jess put her arm around Katie. ‘Oh dear.’

‘Maybe I should have broken out the booze now,’ Athene said. ‘What on earth possessed Wanda? Although Ned shouldn’t have turned up without checking with you first.’

‘He does regret it. He’s offered to go home but I said there was no point now he’s here. It’s not as if he’s spending Christmas in the house with us, is it? Plus he says he has some research to do for a screenplay.’ Katie didn’t want to go into any more details about their conversation.

‘Hmm.’ Athene narrowed her eyes as if she didn’t buy the excuse.

‘To be fair, he did tell me that too. He’s writing a drama about an old hermit called Malcolm Dalton or something. He said he’d had some interest from a TV company,’ Jess said, adding, ‘Not that I saw him long enough to chat too long. In one way, it’s very romantic of him, coming all the way up here. Ned’s always had the soul of a poet.’