The farm workers come across the bridge and Noel and I explain the situation and what we’ve done so far. Before I know it, there’s a hive of activity all around. The two seasonal lads seem to know exactly what to do, and they start digging another trench to divert the water towards the back of the farm. Iain jumps the fence and starts digging from the empty land on the opposite side to give the water a bigger escape route.

Noel, the bookseller and the baker disappear into the trees and return with yet another casualty while Fergus leans on his walking stick and directs the positioning to build the tightest makeshift flood defence wall possible. Fiona’s supervising the digging like she’s judging a wet T-shirt competition, and Glenna’s at the house with Gizmo, getting the fire roaring and keeping an endless supply of tea, biscuits, and pumpkin muffins coming out.

The rushing of the water is replaced by the chatter of friends and shouts of direction from Fergus, whose skill at building gingerbread houses makes him an expert at building makeshift tree walls.

Glenna puts a hand on my shoulder and pushes a cup of tea into one hand and a pumpkin cupcake into the other, making me jump because I was so lost in thought that I hadn’t seen her coming over.

‘You didn’t have to do that,’ I say, meaning both the tea and calling the others.

‘Of course I did, flower. I came out to check on things when Noel didn’t come back and saw what was happening. If you can’t rely on your friends when you’re up to your neck in water and struggling, when can you? All I did was give Fergus a quick ring, knowing Iain would know what to do. They did the rest.’ The hand on my shoulder squeezes again. ‘We help our own round here, Leah. You’re one of us now whether you like it or not.’

‘Oh, I like it. I like it a lot.’ It should be impossible to cry while holding a cupcake, but my eyes sting again and I have to blink furiously to try to hold back the tears.

These new friends who turned up at exactly the moment that Noel and I couldn’t do any more on our own, expecting nothing in return. None of them are paying any mind to the rain. They’re just getting on with the task at hand.

‘I think you’re just what Elffield needed, and maybe it’s exactly what you needed too.’ She looks me directly in the eyes. ‘And not just Elffield.’

I follow her pointed gaze towards Noel, who’s currently sawing through a tree trunk to fit into the flood defence wall. Like he can sense me watching, he looks up and meets my eyes, and his whole face lights up with a smile.