I was about to ask if he’d had any success trying to raise the funds to buy my shares but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

‘I’m sorry to bother you, Ned,’ said Maya, as Ned beckoned her inside. Her eyes widened as she took in the decorations. ‘But there’s a chap on the phone asking for you. I can’t make head nor tail of what he’s talking about. Something about schools and for…’

‘Tell him I’ll be right there,’ said Ned, cutting her off and thrusting his mug into my hands. ‘I’ll be back in a sec, Liza. Don’t shift any of those boxes without me.’

Ned was actually gone for ages, but I didn’t mind because I needed a little time to myself. Although enjoyable, certain moments throughout the morning had been intense. I had loved decorating the lodge, but the emotion of unpacking the decorations and the significance of the date, blended with the potentially playful moments with Ned and his admittance of David’s continued shock regarding my decision to sell, had made for a heady mix.

‘Right,’ Ned puffed, sounding out of breath as he rushed back in just as I finished tidying away the boxes. ‘Hey, I said to leave those.’

‘I’ve only dragged them into the utility room,’ I pointed out. ‘As you’d said you’d got more lined up for today, I didn’t want to waste time.’

‘That’s fair enough,’ he said. ‘Come on then. Grab your wellies.’

‘What now?’ I asked. ‘I was just about to make some lunch.’

Ned looked at the clock and shrugged off his coat.

‘I hadn’t realised it was so late,’ he tutted, then spotting the waffle maker added, ‘but I suppose I could go for a bite of something.’

‘You’re very food driven,’ I laughed. ‘I’m surprised you’re in such good shape.’

He ran a hand over his stomach which, courtesy of the day I arrived, I knew was perfectly smooth and toned.

‘Well, I’m a busy guy,’ he mischievously grinned. ‘And I know lots of ways to burn off calories.’

‘I bet you do,’ I smiled back, unable to stave off both a laugh and the flames of desire I’d been trying to tamp down.

With our appetites eventually sated – it had taken a few attempts to get the hang of making waffles – and wrapped in multiple layers, Ned and I made our way, with Bandit on our heels, across the yard. The beach huts weren’t particularly busy, but everyone was occupied so our progress towards the plantation wasn’t interrupted.

‘I hope you don’t mind that I’ve gone ahead and made a start,’ Ned said as I gasped at the sight of the Wynter’s family tree nestled in the back of the truck, ‘but it felt like today would be the perfect opportunity.’