‘I could put my winter fuel allowance towards the bid.’ Thelma was giggling now. ‘He’d certainly warm things up at home, anyhow.’

Emma found herself blushing, surprised by the turn in the old ladies’ conversation, but then she began laughing uncontrollably as Max turned up with a confused frown asking what was going on, totally unaware of the chatter.

‘If only …’ sighed Dorothy, taking a good look at him. ‘If I was twenty years younger, well—’

‘Twenty? More like forty, don’t kid yourself, Dot,’ Thelma added with a cheeky grin.

‘Now behave, you two,’ Adam’s gran chided, a smile on her face, as the start of the auction was announced.

There were bids for a delivery of logs, a voucher from the butcher’s in the next village, a gardener donating three hours of work, a holiday cottage for a weekend break, a few other lots, and finally Max’s two hours of DIY time.

Thelma and Dorothy were whispering frantically as the bidding started. They clubbed together, were outbid for a second by another lady, and then upped their offer and won him for a total of £20, and then dissolved into a fit of hysterics. Emma wondered if she ought to warn him, but Adam’s gran had realised that she’d been listening in and said he’d be fine, it was all bark no bite; the ladies were neighbours in the old people’s bungalows in the next village and were hoping to have an hour each to fix up the odd picture, sand off a door that was sticking, and do a bit of general handyman work – best not to concern him with their capers. Looking at their smiling faces, it had made their day, and probably their week. Max stood up to a small round of applause from the audience and a wink from Adam’s gran.

After the raffle, the event was drawn to a close. There were a few last orders from her stall, and it was time to pack up and get back to the shop to see how Bev and Holly had got on.

Thelma and Dorothy came up just before they left, to thank Max and say how very much they looked forward to seeing him again soon. Emma had to duck down at that point, in the pretence of packing up a cardboard box ready to load the car, dissolving into laughter, whilst he made polite conversation with the elderly, sweet-looking pair.

It had certainly been some event.

All too soon Max had to leave. He explained that he’d promised to call on his parents in Morpeth on his way back.

‘Thank you so much for helping today. I hope it wasn’t too much of a bind. And now you’re giving up your time to do even more jobs.’

‘It’s fine. I enjoyed it. It was nice to cheer people up – I bet some of them are quite lonely back home.’