Once again Luke came to collect them, but this time Bernard didn't have to ask him to slow down. From the moment he left their front door to the second he arrived at The Grange and pulled up between the two large, brightly lit Christmas trees, he drove at a sensible speed in the icy conditions.

'It's going to snow again tonight,' Bernard said. 'And it's even forecast for tomorrow. I can't recall the last time we had snow on Christmas Day.'

'It was when we lived at The Grange,' Rosa said, snuggled on the back seat beside Juliet, who was seated in the middle between Rosa and Zoe. 'The year before we moved out. I can remember because the boiler broke down on Christmas Eve and we couldn't get anyone out to fix it until the day after Boxing Day. We had to have fires in every room. But at least we didn't have guests that year. We had started to tighten our purse strings.' She gave a little cough. 'But Luke, the house looks marvellous. You all must have been working very hard.'

Luke laughed. 'Harrison's a slave driver. Only joking. But he certainly knew exactly what he wanted and was determined to get it done in time. What do you think of it, Juliet?'

Her astonishment had increased the closer they had got to the house. 'I think it's spectacular. It reminds me of all the Christmases we spent here. And I know it sounds ridiculous, but the house itself looks happier.'

'That's exactly what Harrison said when we stood outside at dusk. He asked Daphne to turn on all the lights and as the house went from darkness to row upon row of fairy lights, he said it was as if the house had actually smiled, and somehow grown in stature as if it were bursting with pride.' Luke chuckled and threw a quick grin at Juliet as he engaged the handbrake and switched off the engine. 'I told him he must be suffering from exhaustion and was clearly delusional. Either that or he'd started downing a bottle or two of the festive spirit ahead of the rest of us.'

Juliet couldn't help but smile as she got out of the car. She wished she had been standing beside Harrison when he had said that. She would have liked to have seen his face. She glanced towards the door, but this time he didn't come out to greet them.

Another car pulled up beside Luke's and Dan and his entire family piled out. It was a good thing Kevin had an eight-seater.

'Hello darling.' Dan ran over to Juliet and hugged her. Lowering his voice he said, 'I told the family we had to be here at spot on seven. I've got to see the grump's face when he lays his eyes on that dress.'

'I'm feeling really nervous,' Juliet whispered back.

'I'll hold your hand, darling until we get inside.'

He took her hand in his as she waved at Paula, Kevin, Mr and Mrs D, and Noah. She was surprised to see Noah. As the vicar of St Clement's she thought he would be holding an evening service, in addition to preparing for Midnight Mass.

'Who's holding the services this evening, Noah?' Rosa asked, as if reading Juliet's thoughts.

'We had a service between six and seven, but Daniel came and virtually dragged me out at a few minutes to the hour. Having said that, the church was as good as empty. I assume everyone is either on their way, or preparing to come here. I'm expecting everybody at Midnight Mass. And I hope that includes all of you.'

He smiled at Juliet's family, who all nodded enthusiastically.

'There's a first time for everything,' Zoe whispered, beside Juliet. 'You're coming too, Luke.'

'I'll happily go with you. That'll mean I'll actually see you first thing on Christmas morning. What time does it end? Around one a.m.?'

Zoe shrugged. 'No idea. I've never been before. Let's get inside. It's freezing out here.'

Everyone piled inside, but Dan held Juliet back. 'You want to make an entrance, darling. Not go in with the herd. You need him to wonder where you are, and to look for you. And if we go in last, he won't be in a rush to take the coats from anyone behind us.'

'When did you get so good at this?'

He rolled his eyes. 'Years of practice, darling. Right. They've all gone in. If we amble slowly, we should time it perfectly.'

Dan was right. When they walked inside the door, Luke was helping Daphne take coats from everyone in front of them. Harrison must have already taken one armful and hung them up, because when Juliet and Dan stood in front of him, he only had one other coat draped over his arm, as he cheerily wished them Merry Christmas.

In what obviously seemed to Harrison to be an ungentlemanly gesture, if the expression on his face was anything to go by, Dan stepped in front of Juliet and took off his coat, handing it to Harrison with a beaming smile. And then, instead of waiting for Juliet, he walked away and stood beside the sitting room door, turning back to look at them, with his hands shoved in his pockets.

Harrison's frown followed Dan for a moment, and then he turned his attention back to Juliet. Daphne and Luke had left with their arms full of coats, and everyone else had made their way to the sitting room, effectively leaving Harrison and Juliet alone.

Exactly as Dan had shown her, Juliet slowly removed the snood that was covering her hair and neck and was gratified to see Harrison's eyes widen as inch by inch her expertly styled, up do, with delicately curled tendrils hanging at intervals each side, was revealed. He didn't say a word when she gently laid the snood across his forearm, whilst looking directly into his eyes.

A moment later, she turned away from him and slowly and seductively, slid off her coat. The first thing he would see were the gossamer, emerald green and gold strands, dotted with the finest, lightest glitter, like the delicate web of a spider after a morning frost, criss-crossing her naked back.

His eyes would then take in the emerald green velvet of the skirt, which clung to her from her waist to just below her thighs, from where sliver after sliver of alternating, emerald green and gold organza flowed to points, an inch or so below her knees.

Then she would turn, ensuring her coat was held in one hand, away from her body, so that his gaze would fall on the fitted velvet, low-cut bodice, encased in the sheerest emerald green organza covering her décolletage and arms.

As Dan had said when he saw it, the dress revealed nothing, and yet, in a way, everything at the same time.

'And it won't take a genius,' Dan had added, 'to realise that there won't be any underwear beneath that dress.'

From the look on Harrison's face as Juliet handed him her coat, Harrison had figured that much out.

'Merry Christmas, Harrison,' she said, looking deep into his smouldering eyes, and smiling. 'The house looks magical tonight. And there's even a full moon. It's enough to make you believe that anything could happen.' Then she sashayed towards Dan, desperately hoping that she wouldn't topple over in her high-heeled, glittering emerald, evening shoes, because she was absolutely certain that Harrison was watching her every move.

Dan smiled as she reached him, linked her arm through his, and whispered in her ear.

'Bloody hell, darling. That was even better than I expected. The man can't take his eyes off you. This evening should be fun.'

'I need a drink,' Juliet said. 'A large one.'

'Don't forget,' Dan added. 'Throw the man a little smile before we disappear from view.'

She took a deep breath, slowly turning her head until her eyes met Harrison's. A brief smile; the merest lick of her lips, and she turned away again. But not before she saw his jaw drop towards his chest. She could almost hear the gasp escape him.

She wanted to jump for joy. But she didn't want to risk it in her shoes. She would probably break her ankle.

'God. That felt good. Who knew that deep down, I'm nothing but a flirt?'

'You're a goddess, darling. Goddesses don't flirt. They merely mesmerise. Now all we have to do is get rid of Kiki, and find a way to make sure you and Harrison can be alone. But I'm telling you now, if I see that man frown or scowl at you, I'm going to punch him in the face. The season of goodwill, or not.'

Juliet laughed. 'I might do that myself if he tells me to get lost.'

'The man is a grump, darling. Not a complete idiot.'

'Champagne?' Luke appeared from the hall, with Zoe by his side, and a waiter who was carrying a tray of glasses filled virtually to the brim.

'You've got staff?' Juliet was surprised.

'We've got caterers,' Luke said. 'Don't ask me how at such short notice, but it seems that Kiki was right. Money can buy anything.'

Juliet stiffened. 'When did she say that?'

Luke shrugged and glanced at Zoe. 'At the pub on Monday night, I think. Here.' He handed Juliet and Dan a glass. And then his eyes opened wide and he looked Juliet up and down. 'Wow. That's some dress. You and Zoe are determined to outshine everyone tonight.'

Zoe's dress was black, tight-fitting crêpe, with tiny silver hearts embroidered down the gossamer sleeves, but the rest of the dress was plain, and straight, and very sexy. Although according to Dan who helped Zoe choose it, not quite as sexy as Juliet's.

'Thanks,' said Juliet.

'Has Harrison seen it?' There was a look of devilment in Luke's eyes.

'Yes,' she said, with a smile. 'He's seen it.'

A huge grin spread across Luke's face. 'I think tonight is going to be interesting.'

'I hope so,' Juliet replied.

Luke and Dan both burst out laughing and Zoe grinned and winked.