Strange email from recruiter

[teomama]

Hi, need some advice on a job interview dilemma I have.
I've passed 3 rounds on interviews with this company, last one required a case study presentation. I worked on it and received good feedback from the interviewer. He said: Spot on, very well researched and well presented and advised the last stage of the process would be a HR interview.
Couple of days later I received an email from the recruiter, asking me if I had time later this week to "give me an update on the process with us". She said she's free 2 days later and I am now anxiously awaiting feedback. However, I don't know what to make of it. My thinking is they've probably decided not to move on with me, as she didn't ask me to schedule the HR interview. On the other hand, I know they'd normally send a brief email explaining they've decided to move on with a different candidate.
What are your thoughts? TIA.

I think they are probably just on leave or on a course for a couple of days and will schedule the interview on their return.

This is purely based on my own experience in my industry (which sounds quite different than yours), but we usually only speak to people if they are moving forward or being offered the role. If you aren't successful, you just get an email.

I personally would read that as HR is moving incredibly slowly at this time of year (especially as most schools break up on Friday and I suspect there is lots of AL for next week), but she doesn't want to lose you and perhaps you are the only candidate being put forward anyway, so she wants to connect to discuss what will happen now, because it might not be possible to do the HR interview until early January. Usually when we recruit, we use the whole 'can we just have a chat to discuss the role?' as a way of informally making the offer.

Thanks, great to read your prospective.