Page 63

‘How wonderful!’ her mother declared, obviously ecstatic to see Ned back in the family fold.

Her dad grinned. ‘That’s a lovely surprise,’ he said as her mum and Lou stared in amazement.

‘Ned? Why’s he there?’ her brother-in-law asked. ‘I thought they’d split up. Ow! Why are you digging me in the ribs, Lou? Oh. Shit.’

Katie cringed as Reuben went red in the face. ‘Er. Happy Christmas, Ned.’

Focusing on Ned, Lou’s eyebrows were almost in her hairline. ‘Yes, hello, Ned. This is a surprise.’

‘I’m doing some research up here anyway and there was an open invitation so – serendipity and all that,’ Ned said.

‘Oh. Well, it’s lovely to see the old gang back together,’ Katie’s mum piped up.

Katie swept away with her phone, dreading the inquisition she was going to get once her family had the chance. ‘Enough about us,’ she said cheerily. ‘How are things with the babes? Has Santa visited them?’

After breakfast, everyone went into the sitting room to exchange gifts while Arlo had insisted on staying in the kitchen to clear up. Katie didn’t blame him after her excruciating call with the Ned Family Fan Club. She’d had to message them after it had finished, saying that she’d explain when she next spoke to them if she could find some time alone.

She’d been dreading that Ned might present her with some lavish gift or jewellery but was relieved to find that he’d bought huge boxes of chocolate truffles for all four of them in different flavours. Lavish was fine when it came to chocolate, especially when he’d spoiled them all equally.

Athene had given Katie a beautiful hand-turned wooden pen and presented everyone else with locally made liqueurs. Katie had managed to find Ned a Wordsworth-themed notebook at Firholme. He’d have turned up his nose at anything Beatrix Potter-related.

Jess gave Ned a grey skinny scarf which Katie knew would go perfectly with his collection of reefer coats.

‘As if you don’t have enough scarves,’ she said.

‘I can never have too many and it’s bloody freezing up here.’ He kissed her on the cheek. ‘It’s perfect.’

‘Thanks, but don’t go all mushy,’ Jess said, batting him away with a hint of pink in her cheeks.

‘No one has ever described me as mushy,’ Ned said.

‘You do have a poet’s soul, though,’ Wanda commented, opening her box of truffles. ‘Like Keats or Wordsworth. In your play.’

Athene sniffed the air. ‘Sorry to bring things down to earth but what’s that terrible smell?’

Katie waved her hand in front of her face. ‘Oh God, that’s horrible.’

Jess clamped her hand over her nose. ‘I feel a bit sick.’

‘I think I’m going to have to open the doors,’ Athene said in a strangled voice.

‘For fuck’s sake, do it fast before we’re all gassed!’ Ned said, getting there before Athene and throwing open the French windows.

Cold air blasted through the room. Ned was outside with Athene, cursing. ‘Jesus. It’s enough to make me go back on the fags again.’

‘It is a bit pungent,’ Wanda said, nose wrinkled. ‘Do you think a mouse has died under the floorboards?’

‘I hope it’s not the drains,’ Jess said, escaping on to the terrace.

Wanda looked horrified. ‘I hope not too!’

Katie had another theory, having spotted a feathery tail wagging from behind Ned’s favourite chair.

At that moment, Arlo walked in, stopped dead, sniffed and said, ‘God, I am so sorry, I think Pongo has been at the sprouts. The bag is ripped open and I don’t think his digestive system can cope on top of that bacon sandwich …’

‘Jesus! Now we know the real reason behind his bloody name!’ Ned said, poking his head through the French door before rapidly retreating back outside.

‘I’ll keep him in the boot room until his tum settles.’ Arlo retrieved Pongo from his hidey hole, the dog’s tail wagging furiously.