‘I’m sure David’s au fait with it all, isn’t he?’

‘He is,’ she agreed, ‘but ideally there should be more than one person working on site. There’ll be the cut trees to sell as well as some potted ones to book out and I was wondering if you might be able to help out. If you worked with David for the day, then Ned couldn’t have any objection to me going with him.’

I was cross with Ned. I’d made it more than clear that if he and David needed help, then they only had to ask. I had been planning to leave, but I wouldn’t even consider it now. I wasn’t going to let Ned’s mood drive me away. I would stick it out, whatever the cost.

‘Don’t you worry,’ I told Maya, thinking that a day away from Wynter’s Trees could only serve to push her and Ned closer together. ‘I’ll sort it. I’m more than happy to help out.’

‘Really?’ she squeaked. ‘You’re sure you don’t mind?’

‘Of course not,’ I insisted. ‘Ned only had to ask.’

‘Really?’

‘Really. You’ll get your trip out. Even if it is going to be a bit of a busman’s holiday.’

‘Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!’ she beamed.

‘In fact,’ I said, standing up, ‘I’ll go and sort it out right now.’

Maya was keen for me to tell Ned what we’d decided and we left the lodge together. She peeled off into the barn, having bestowed more heartfelt thanks, and I, following the sound of the chainsaw, carried on to the plantation. My ankle barely protested, which was a relief because if I was going to ensure Maya got her day away with Ned, then I was going to be standing on it all of the next day.

‘Hello Liza,’ said David, as I approached the line of trees that he and Ned were working their way through.

Every day Ned was felling a few, in a variety of sizes, to cater for those visitors who wanted a cut tree without the walk through the plantation or who simply didn’t have time to browse. The felled selection was displayed in the yard and once a tree was chosen, it was then netted, paid for and driven away.

In spite of Dad’s efforts to educate me, I hadn’t given it much thought before, but since returning I had and I vastly preferred the fate of those trees growing in pots. Playing a part in the seasonal celebrations with the same family, potentially for years, was very special indeed. It turned out Dad did have a point and an important one. Not only did his vision make sense for the environment, it created a much-loved tradition too.