So it’s no use imagining that Jonty will ever look at you twice, Tess Williams, she told herself. You made your bed long ago when Jonty asked you to come to the farm in your school holidays. If you’d encouraged him then . . . but you didn’t. You thought Snowy was the be-all and end-all, and by the time you realised you did have feelings for Jonty it was too late. Pamela had snared him.

By this time, Tess had finished collecting eggs from the nesting boxes and was about to comb the hedgerows and ditches for the hens which stubbornly insisted on laying astray. As she searched, she reflected ruefully that her time here was now very limited. The next day everyone would be engaged on matters pertaining to the ruby wedding party and the day after that would be the last of what would probably, almost certainly, be her final visit to the farm.

There had been no mention of a wedding between Pamela and Jonty, which was a little strange since farmers, Tess knew, liked to marry in the winter when there was little doing on the land. She had been careful never to intrude when the pair were talking, so had no idea what plans might have been made, but now she hurried back to the farmhouse. Jonty was sitting at the table peeling potatoes, so she washed her hands over the sink and outlined her plans as she did so. ‘There’s an early train I can catch the day after tomorrow, or the next day, which would get me into Liverpool before dark,’ she told him, smiling brightly. ‘Will you be able to drive me to the station? Your mum says I’m to take a dozen eggs, a pound of butter and a bacon joint for Gran, so if you could help me to get everything on to the train that would be grand.’ She turned from the sink, reaching for the roller towel on the back of the door and saw Jonty’s eyes widen.

‘Help you to get on to the train?’ he said. ‘I’m coming with you, girl! I’ve already phoned your gran asking her to get me a bed just for a couple of nights, but all the hotels are full because of Christmas, so she says I can have a shakedown on your living-room floor. There are presents which I hope to buy in Liverpool since I’ve been unable to find them in Norwich.’ He pulled a comical face. ‘Don’t say you can’t be doing with a visitor so close to the holiday. After all, us Bells put up with you for a lot longer than that!’

Tess stared. ‘But . . . but . . .’ she stammered. ‘But Jonty, you’re needed here! I’d love you to come back with me, of course, but . . .’

‘But me no buts,’ Jonty said breezily, pushing past her to run water into the pan of peeled potatoes. ‘I’ve made it all right with everyone so you needn’t worry. Any more objections? Anything left undone that I could help you with?’