‘Well,’ he chewed, tearing off a sheet of kitchen towel. ‘There’s no getting away from the date, is there? And I for one, wouldn’t want to.’

I felt my face flush and put my roll back on the plate.

‘The date?’

‘The first of December,’ he clarified.

He reached down the side of the counter and pulled out two large envelopes. He kept one for himself and handed the other to me.

‘What’s this?’ I asked.

‘Open it.’

I carefully slit open the top and pulled out an advent calendar. It was a proper old fashioned one, covered in glitter and featuring Santa, jolly and rotund, flying through the star-studded night sky in his sleigh pulled by eight trusty reindeer. They were soaring over a village of snow-enhanced cottages and towards a very full moon.

‘It’s lovely,’ I said, feeling rather choked.

‘And I got one for me too,’ Ned beamed, opening his and turning it for me to see.

His featured a snowy woodland scene and a variety of wild creatures and birds, including rabbits, foxes, badgers, robins and owls. It was very Matthew Rice.

‘They’re both lovely,’ I told him, feeling relieved that he had flagged the date because it was the start of advent calendar season rather than anything else.

‘I wasn’t sure which one you’d like,’ he frowned.

I wondered if he’d got one for Maya too. The pair were spending more hours together than ever, but whether the extra time in the office and out in the plantation was professional or private, I couldn’t be sure. I was just gearing up to gently enquire but didn’t get the chance.

‘And of course,’ Ned tentatively said, ‘December the first isn’t just about advent calendars, is it?’

I stared at mine, willing him to stop.

‘It was also your dad’s birthday, wasn’t it?’ he carried on, ‘and the start of the festive season, as far as he was concerned.’

‘Yes,’ I said, clearing my throat. ‘Yes, it was.’

‘And with that in mind,’ Ned continued, having gained confidence from my succinct confirmation, ‘I thought we could make a start decorating the lodge today and I have something else planned too.’

‘If it’s all the same,’ I said, pushing my untouched plate away and sliding off the stool. ‘I’d rather not.’

‘But it’s all sorted.’ He beamed looking every bit as excited as Dad did when his birthday dawned. ‘I thought we could hang the paper decorations and pin up the lights. I know it’s too early for greenery and the tree, but we could do the rest. My dad said that’s what you always used to do.’

‘Ned…’

‘Dad’s shown me photos of how the lodge used to look, so we can replicate what you had before or create something completely new. It’s entirely up to you.’