‘Thank you, it’s an amazing opportunity and I intend to work very hard to prove worthy of it. I’m sure there must be lots of people who would love to be able to walk away from their day-to-day lives for a whole year in order to explore a hidden yearning. I can’t promise I have any actual skill, but I always felt happy whenever I was able to take time out with a pencil and a sketching pad. Art lessons at school were scary, if I’m honest with you. It rather put me off at the time, but I doodled a lot when I was at home alone.’

He shakes his head, his eyes blazing. ‘How it annoys me to hear that. No one knows what they are capable of until they are given the chance to explore their creativity. That should never be stifled. Every eye perceives reality in a slightly different way. Art is about capturing that uniqueness and preserving it.’ Nico’s tone is curt as anger rises up within him at what he perceives to be an injustice of monumental proportions. ‘A true artist works first and foremost from their heart, not merely seeking to impress or please a client in return for money. Commerciality often kills originality. I know because I’ve travelled that road.’

‘It must be a pressure, working to deadlines,’ I empathise. ‘Creativity isn’t something you can just switch off and on, is it?’

‘No. However, we are about to explore your inner muse and most people find that liberating, Fern. I’m sure that’s what you will discover, too. Painting for pleasure is a wonderful way to relax in the busy world out there. Sometimes it becomes more than simply a hobby, but only time will tell.’

I’m entranced. And inspired. Nico is a passionate man, but that sort of determination and drive, while inspiring others, can also be a hard taskmaster. Ceana said he has no one, no remaining family, to give him a sense of belonging, so I wonder if his work and this little community are now his sole reasons for being? It’s almost as if he’s shut himself off from the world and the chance of building a life with someone. I wonder why?

I’m filled with an overwhelming sense of sadness for him, as I sense a life of pain and possibly regret. If Nico notices my spontaneous reaction, he doesn’t show it and, thankfully, it’s fleeting, albeit unsettling. That’s the downside of being intuitive; sometimes you feel you are invading someone’s privacy without their permission. Like a voyeur.

‘You’ve seen the kitchen and day room – the first of the converted barns in the L-shaped building. The other sections as we work along are woodworking, run by Taylor Hamilton. He also uses one of the two open barns in the orchard; the other barn houses Bastien Caron’s forge.’