Inside the barn, Gizmo is wearing a purple knitted hoody and sitting on the bench of a huge wooden sleigh while Noel sands the side. Neither of them have heard me come in above the noise of the sander, and it gives me a chance to look it over in awe. It’s huge. Plain, unfinished wood, with a bench at the front easily big enough for two people, and another two benches facing each other in the back. There’s metal glinting from the wide ski-like runners, and smoothly curved edges all around that make you want to run your hand over them. The barn is heavy with the scent of freshly sawn wood, and above the noise of the sander, I can hear a hint of Paul McCartney singing ‘Mull of Kintyre’. I can’t tear my eyes away from the sleigh. I can instantly imagine it painted red with gold edges and sparkly snowflakes, happy families sitting on the benches, drinking hot chocolate with their chosen Christmas tree propped up nearby. He must have built the whole thing from scratch … but why? Why is he making a sleigh?

I wait until he stops sanding the rounded side before I speak. ‘Wow.’

Gizmo barks and jumps up, instantly diving off the bench and down the step from the sleigh to the floor. ‘Hello, lovely,’ I say as he rushes over, his tail wagging like a propeller. My hands are full so I balance on one leg and gently pet him with my foot.

When I look up, Noel’s put the sander down and is pulling his gloves off. ‘Sorry, I was trying to be quiet. I didn’t mean to wake you.’

‘You didn’t.’ There’s a metal tool cabinet near the door so I put the teas and biscuits on that, and crouch down to give Gizmo a proper rub. When I stand back up, he dashes across to the sleigh, jumps up the step and back onto the bench, and I follow him for a closer look at the festive masterpiece.

Noel steps away while I walk around it, running my fingers over silky curves and edges carved into smooth swirls. The lines and knots in the wood make it look rustic and pretty, and beautiful in an imperfect way. ‘How can you be so talented that you can make a sleigh?’

He picks up a mug of tea and hides his face behind it. ‘I hope one of these was for me because I’ve just hijacked it if it wasn’t.’

‘You’re allowed take a compliment, Noel.’

‘I was making it for Evergreene. The wood is from his own fallen Christmas trees. I didn’t get it completed before he died, but now it looks like you’re staying, I thought you might like it instead. I’ve been out here for the past few nights to see if I can get it finished by December. It’s really nothing.’