Verity looked at the table, covered with breakfast leavings, and nearly said that they had to clean up first. But Baby Liam here had probably had responsibility drummed into him since he could toddle; that wasn't the lesson that she needed to drive home today.

"Let me just get dressed and we absolutely can, yes," Verity said, hugging Liam once before letting him down onto the ground. "We'll get all the very best sundae fixings."