My feet rested, I felt able to go for a short walk with Mima in the pushchair. Opposite the pub is a park, and we all strolled there in the weak sunshine that had managed to claw its way through the clouds.

When Mima had woken, I ordered her some ice cream and fed it to her to save her getting too messy. Tom was blown away by her new dress and coat. “She looks just darling in that outfit, who chose it for her?”

“She did, she saw it on the rack and wanted it. I chose the coat.” I replied as we walked.

“So there’s no doubting she’s all little girl, then?”

“Absolutely, Tom. But then at her age, I would have been if I'd been given the opportunity.”

“Aye, my Catherine was, although it took a few years for us to deal with it.” He looked into the distance.

“Will you be placing some flowers on her grave for Christmas.” I asked.

He nodded, his eyes looking moist with tears.

“Could I come with you?” I held on to his arm with one of mine, pushing the buggy with the other.

“Och, I don’t know, Cathy. Sometimes I make a fool o’mesel’ when I’m there, what with her mother being there too.”

“It’s just that I’d like to thank her for teaching you about girls like us.”

“Well, she certainly did that alright,” he looked at me and shook his head. “I shouldna exclude you, you’re my daughter now, but neither do I want you involved in all my pain from so long ago.”

“You’re my father now, and I want to be a part of your life, if that includes the pain, then I have to accept the good with the bad.”

He stopped and looked at my back. “Is there a problem there, Daddy?” Bird droppings went through my mind–not literally, but you get my meaning.

“No, only I can’t see where your wings were attached.”

“Are you implying I’m a fairy?” I felt a little hurt if that was his view.

“No, you soft Sassenach, an angel was what went through my mind. You always walk the extra mile don’t you?”

“Not always, but sometimes–yes–especially for those I love, and I love you, Daddy.”

“Mima wuv Gwampy, too.”

“Yes, we all love, Gramps, don’t we?”

“Yes, we alw wuv Gwampy,” she piped and Simon and Stella laughed from behind us.

“You tell ‘em, Meems,” called Simon.

We allowed them to catch us up, “Can I squeeze a couple of hours tomorrow?” I said to Stella, nodding at Mima.

“I suppose so.”

“I need to do some shopping, I’ve virtually no presents for anyone.” It wasn’t quite true, I’d bought most of the ones I needed and the food shopping was under control. However, there were a few things I wanted to get.”

“Yeah, what sort of time, were you thinking?”

“Morning, after breakfast.”

“If it’s fine, we can go for a walk, take Kiki.”

“Now that’s good thinking,” said Tom, “it would save me walking her, and I could nip in and out of the office, check on Cathy’s rats.”

“Hey you, they are not rats, they are very valuable dormice.”

“That’s a matter of opinion, they’re just hairy tailed rats.”

“Those are my babies you’re talking about, you horrible man.”

“Bloody inconsistent women, two minutes ago she was singing my praises, now she condemns me. Where do we puir men stand?”

“Absolutely,” agreed Simon, “The only consistency is inconsistency.”

“A girl has a right to change her mind, isn’t that right, Mima?”

“Mima, wuvs Mummy an’ Daddy.”

“Nice answer, kiddo,” said Simon.

“Never mind trying to influence a witness, Simon Cameron, or I’ll fine you for contempt of court.”

“Since when have you been appointed a judge?” he gasped at me.

“Since I demonstrated impeccable taste and independence–oh and when I learned how to fix punctures.”

“Show off,” he scowled back.

“Ha ha, only because you can’t; brava, Cathy. One for the girls,” shouted Stella, Mima squealed, even if she didn’t know what she was squealing at, she joined in, which pleased me.

“Has anyone heard what happened to the um–Scotts,” asked Simon.

“They were conquered by the English in 1702 or something.” I was probably way off with my history and it was wilful misinterpretation by any measure.

“Were we now?”

“Until Gordon Brown became queen,” I said trying not to laugh.

“Puir Gordie Broon, he’s doing his best in very trying circumstances,” observed Tom.

“Yes, especially as one of their relatives keeps harassing him,” I nodded to Simon and Stella.

“As far as we know, any similarity between us and leaders of the opposition are purely coincidental.”

“So David Cameron is no relation?”

“No, not as far as we know.” He muttered something like, ‘thank God’, but I could have been mistaken.

“So have there been any politicians in your family, then?” I asked now warming to the inquisition.

“Only one as far as we can tell,” answered Simon, “ one Viscount Stanebury, was a finance minister in one of Disraeli’s cabinets. He didn’t last long when he disagreed with Dizzy over some item of tax and the banks.”

“Oh, is that all?” I felt let down.

“Yep, that’s it, unless you consider sitting in the Lords for about two hundred years.”

“Isn’t that just paid sleepovers?” I played Devil’s Advocate, Tom was sniggering.

“That remark shows you don’t understand the role of the Lords in keeping democracy in this country.”

“That sounds a wee bit oxymoronic, Si, an unelected house preserving democracy.”

“It’s true, various governments would have become police states years ago if they’d had the chance.”

“So Henry saved the world then?”

“No that was Gordie, Henry just helped save democracy.”

“Ah, it’s all so much clearer now,” I lied hoping to end the conversation. I suppose in doing so, I disproved Tom’s theory of my angelic origins, nice though they were.

As we drifted back to the cars, I tried to plan how I could find some time to start wrapping Mima’s presents. I had about a dozen, plus those for Simon, Stella and Tom. We’d all reined in a bit this year, partly because of the financial situation, but also because things had been so fraught with our custody battle.

As we drove home, I smirked to myself, Mima was singing her own much mutilated version of Jingle bells, while Tom would detour on the way back to get a Christmas tree. It would stay in the garden until Christmas eve night, when we’d bring it in and decorate it after a certain person had gone to bed. I longed to see her face when she came down and saw all the presents and trimmings–it would be a picture and I’d have my camera ready.