‘Now,’ he said, as he hung up my coat and then put his hand on the utility door handle as the barking reached a whole new level. ‘How do you feel about dogs?’

‘I love dogs,’ I said, moving to stand nearer the sofa and quickly adding, ‘as a rule.’

‘Excellent,’ he grinned. ‘In that case, brace yourself, and don’t worry, this fella’s all bark and definitely no bite.’

I opened my mouth to ask what he was about to unleash but was practically bowled off my feet before I got the chance.

‘This is Bandit,’ said Ned, introducing me to the huge husky with the thickest coat and bluest eyes who had skittered across the wooden floor at breakneck speed and into my arms. ‘Second line of defence in the keep Wynter’s safe campaign. He’s an absolute softie, but no one who turns up with criminal intent needs to know that.’

Once he’d said a very thorough hello, Bandit sat panting at my feet and looked up at me as if butter wouldn’t melt. I wasn’t sure if he was as innocent or as well behaved as he was trying to make out, but he was beautiful. I gave him another fuss, my fingers practically disappearing in his thick coat.

‘He’s a rescue hound,’ Ned further explained. ‘His original owners hadn’t had him five minutes before they realised they weren’t going to be able to cope with him.’

‘And can you?’ I asked, raising my eyebrows as I abandoned my post next to the sofa which had served as no defence from Bandit’s enthusiastic welcome. Not that I really minded, because he was so lovely. ‘He must need a lot of exercise.’

‘Just about,’ Ned laughed. ‘And he does. I’m a keen runner, so he gets a good few miles under his belt with me most days.’

I supposed you didn’t get a physique like his from felling trees alone and I could easily picture the pair of them pounding around the plantation.

‘He’s perfect for this place,’ I pointed out, although I was sure Ned was already aware of that.

‘I’m hoping for snow this year,’ he told me. ‘The photo opportunities with him will be too good to miss.’

‘Yes,’ I agreed. ‘And he could be the perfect mascot for the website too.’

In my mind’s eye, I could easily imagine the idyllic snowy scene on the homepage, enhanced by Bandit’s blue eyes and elegant stature, but then I gave myself a shake and shrugged the image off. What the Wynter’s Trees website looked like was nothing to do with me.

‘Are you hungry?’ Ned asked, making Bandit’s ears prick up. ‘Not you pooch,’ he tutted, ‘I was talking to Liza.’

‘I am a bit,’ I said.