‘There’s no link between me and those other two people!’ Danny shouted.

‘Oh there is. And you know it.’

‘All right then, what is it?’

On Ferry Lane, Tanika was standing in the lashing rain as she watched Colin Starling and a number of choristers carry a length of severed bell rope across Marlow Bridge.

By the time they arrived, she realised what Becks expected her to do.

‘Wrap it around the trunk of the tree!’ she called out. ‘Come on, we need to get this tree moved!’

As they all started trying to tie the rope to the tree, the piercing headlights of a white SUV cut through the darkness as Becks raced her 4x4 across Marlow Bridge, turned into Ferry Lane and then screeched to a halt. Despite the narrowness of the road, she confidently performed a three-point turn, her hands in the correct ten-to-two position throughout, and by the end of the manoeuvre her tailgate was pointing at the oak.

‘There’s a tow bar on the back,’ she shouted as she stepped out of her car.

Tanika was quick to get the message, and she soon organised the other end of the rope to be tied to the back of Becks’ 4x4.

And mercifully, in the distance, finally, they heard the sirens of approaching police cars.

As soon as the rope was tied fast, Tanika called to Becks against the howling wind.

‘Okay we’re good to go!’

Becks climbed back into her car, slammed the door shut, but Colin grabbed her arm through the open window.

‘Becks?’ he said, but he didn’t know what on earth to say next.

As Becks looked at her husband, she saw a sparkle of excitement in his eyes.

‘I don’t know what’s going on,’ he said, ‘but if I haven’t told you recently, I think you’re amazing. I’ve always thought you were amazing.’

Becks’ heart jumped. This was the Colin she remembered. Full of life and sincerity, and able to focus entirely on her.

‘Love you,’ she said with a wink.

‘Love you, too,’ he said.

‘Now, if you don’t mind, I need to put my pedal to the metal,’ Becks said, and turned her attention back to her cockpit.

As Colin stepped back, Becks put her car into four-wheel drive, jammed it into its lowest gear and floored it.

The back wheels spun on the wet road, exhaust spewing out, the smell of burning rubber filling the air, but the oak tree didn’t budge.

Becks took her foot off the pedal for a rethink as two police cars drove into Ferry Lane, sliding to a stop so they didn’t smash into Becks’ SUV.