The next hour was spent touring the farm, meeting the docile-looking Kerry cows, big and black with large brown liquid eyes, noisy, friendly goats who pushed each other out of the way nosing for food, and plump bustling hens, which Adrienne pointed out. ‘Rhode Island Reds, Silver Grey Dorkings, and Partridge Chanteclers.’

Hannah decided the latter with their russet-patterned feathers were her favourites as they scurried about pecking at the ground. The whole place looked immaculate – even the wooden hen houses were beautiful, painted in duck-egg blue with little ramps leading up to each one. It was just as wonderful as she’d hoped it would be.

From there they walked across a paddock through to a large quadrangle.

‘On your left are the kitchens and that’s where we’ll assemble at nine o’clock tomorrow. This evening we’ll have dinner at the hotel in a private dining room. Breakfast is in the farm kitchen, where you had tea and cake. And now we’ll go back there to the office to get keys and such.’

As she led them back to where they’d started, Hannah realised that they’d done a huge loop of the farm.

‘Your luggage has all been delivered to your rooms. Now, Fliss, you’re in the hotel. Alan and Jason, you’re sharing the flat in Larkspur Cottage, just across the way.’ She pointed out of the window towards a pair of pastel-painted terraced cottages, one blue and one pink. ‘Meredith and Isabel, you’re next door in Rose Cottage in the second-floor flat. And, Hannah, you’re in Marigold Cottage and you’ll be sharing, although they haven’t turned up yet. My son will show you down there if you don’t mind waiting here while I take the others.’

‘No, that’s fine,’ said Hannah with a touch of excitement.

No sooner had the others departed than the door behind her opened. She turned around to find a pair of blue eyes studying her. For the briefest of moments they looked familiar but then the memory danced out of reach.

‘Hi.’

‘Hello there. You for Marigold Cottage?’

‘That’s right. I’m Hannah.’

‘Fergus. I’m the youngest one so I’m the put-upon one. I get all the crappy jobs.’ He slapped a hand over his mouth. ‘Not that you’re a crappy job, of course.’ His white freckled skin flushed bright red. ‘Sorry, I’m an eejit.’

Hannah laughed. He was probably only about eighteen or so. ‘It’s fine. I know about being the youngest. You always have to go to bed earlier than everyone else.’

‘And that’s just the start. Honest to God, they all think they’re the boss of me. I never have a minute’s peace. Fergus do this, Fergus do that. I tell you, my life’s a trial.’ He said it with a comically mournful long-suffering sigh that made Hannah laugh again.

‘You poor wee soul.’