He nodded. ‘I certainly hope so. She’s suggested I should come to some of her poetry workshops in London, which I fully intend to do, and of course I want to tell her about Jonathan Mercer’s verdict – though I dare say she’ll know about that before me. But don’t underestimate your own writing, Morwenna. After all, you were the only one of us to have been published before – and you know how encouraging Catherine was to you in our final session.’

‘Yes – she was very kind. But I owe a lot to your ideas and encouragement too,’ she said gratefully. ‘You’ve all given me the boost I need to try to keep going with my horticultural writing as well as with the actual practical gardening – at which I know I’m good. I’m definitely a hands-on gardener first and a journalist second.’

‘What about you, John?’ Christopher looked at the Colonel. ‘Do you reckon you’ve got anything out of the week?’

‘I certainly have – I shall peg on with my regimental history and Catherine’s given me some helpful suggestions about how to make it a bit more accessible – and a little less boring, which,’ he admitted with a twinkle in his eye, ‘I gather was a very real danger.’ He went on gruffly, ‘But I think I’ve gained a great deal from the whole week in other ways – not just from the writing,’ and he glanced towards Morwenna, who suddenly seemed preoccupied with gathering up her bag, her raincoat, and the gardening notebooks that she took with her everywhere. ‘Shall we go then, Morwenna?’ he asked, clearing his throat and straightening his perfectly straight and tightly knotted tie. ‘If you’re ready, let’s take ourselves off and go and see what we can find at this famous nursery garden and you can give me a crash course in dendrology.’

‘At least I don’t think we’ll find any garden gnomes there,’ said Morwenna. ‘But I’m sure Bunty’s garden, if she’s got one, must be seething with toadstools and little red men with fishing rods. ’Bye then, you two. Have a lovely day. We’ll compare notes this evening.’

‘There goes a pair of very nice people,’ said Marnie as they watched the two solid, sensibly clad figures walk towards the car park. ‘I thought they both looked dreadfully dull that first day – and I was wrong. I’ve got very fond of them both.’

‘And he’s right, you know,’ said Christopher. ‘It’s not just the writing – encouraging though that’s been for me – that’s made this week so special. If I hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have met you . . . and that,’ said Christopher, looking at Marnie across the table, ‘seems unthinkable.’

They decided to head up the A9 to Blair Atholl and go round Blair Castle.