‘Is every project around here a group thing? I don’t mean the teaching sessions with visitors, but when it comes to the property itself?’

‘More or less,’ she confirms. ‘Nico doesn’t charge us for accommodation, only a contribution towards the cost of our meals, but we all receive an equal share of the income. In return we help out in any way we can, in addition to running our individual sessions, of course.’

‘That must help him a little as it’s a big place to maintain.’

She nods. ‘He has injected a lot of money into bringing it back to its former glory. We sell surplus produce to the locals in summer, which brings in a little additional income. But money isn’t an issue for him. If he gets stuck, he simply sells another painting. His father left him a lot of canvases and his own work is growing in popularity. Have you heard of José Gallegos? Sad story, but his work only began to increase in value after his death. Nico’s work is very popular, though.’

I shake my head. ‘What an awful shame. That can’t have been easy for the family, but wonderful that Nico inherited his father’s talent.’

‘Oh, they didn’t get on and he says it’s only money. He’s the last of the family line and he has no children himself.’

Only money and money doesn’t bring happiness. The words have a familiar ring to them.

‘Anyway,’ Ceana continues, ‘Anton usually cycles up from the village to help out with the weeding every day. Some of our visitors prefer to do something simple and enjoy the fresh air, so he keeps an eye on them. It’s an easy task but necessary. Not everyone who comes here is eager to learn new skills and when that’s the case, something simple to do, a friendly face and a few kind words go a long way. Anton is good at that and he’s an excellent gardener. His wife is poorly at the moment, so Nico suggested I approach you to see whether you’d mind stepping in for him? Just to supervise a couple of our visitors for the morning session until he’s back. I’d really appreciate it.’

A sense of relief washes over me. ‘Of course. I can, at least, weed,’ I laugh. ‘Well, and supervise people weeding. When you talk about the guests, or visitors, what can I expect?’