No one answered her.

‘I’ll cover the lost rental costs for the trees out of my own pocket,’ I inadequately insisted. ‘And whatever you think is right for the delivery.’

‘Damn right you will,’ grumbled Ned.

‘Edward!’ David warningly said.

‘And how exactly are you going to make this miraculous swap?’ Ned stormed on. ‘You can’t take the truck, because I need it. There are still trees to go out tomorrow. There simply isn’t the time for me to go chasing all over the county clearing up the mess you’ve made today.’

Even though I had hoped I was wrong, I’d had the feeling that might be the case, right from the moment I’d rashly offered to make the swap.

‘Oh,’ was all I could muster.

I took in Ned’s glowering expression and began to wonder if he was using my mistake over the trees to have another dig about my decision to sell up. It wasn’t as if I’d fed either the Stotts’ or the Scotts’ trees through the shredder, and even though there were transport issues to resolve, the depth of his temper and his out of character reaction did feel a little over the top.

‘Edward,’ David said again. ‘You’re being too harsh. It was a mistake which could have happened to anyone.’

‘A mistake!’ Ned laughed, but it was obvious that he didn’t find any humour in the situation. ‘Dad, if I had a pound for every time you told me that mistakes like this could ruin the Wynter’s Trees reputation and that we had to check, check and check again before we let a tree go, then I’d be retiring with you.’

‘Of course, you wouldn’t,’ Maya mildly said. ‘You’re as melded to this place as Liza’s dad was, Ned, and that’s why you’re getting your boxers in such a knot. You have to admit, Liza’s already done as much as she can to sort it out.’

‘But the trees are still in the wrong place and with the wrong families,’ he said, this time through gritted teeth. ‘And we have no way of moving them.’

‘Well,’ Maya continued, sounding completely unruffled, ‘we’re shut tomorrow and I know there’s stuff to be getting on with, but I can easily borrow a truck from the farm and take Liza to switch the trees. It shouldn’t take too long.’

David and I looked from her to Ned. If he accepted her offer, then she would have effectively saved me from a further tongue-lashing and two families’ Christmases from being ruined.

‘They’re big trees,’ Ned pointed out, thrusting his hands into his jacket pockets.

‘And we’re big girls,’ she shrugged, kissing his cheek. ‘Well, I am. Liza’s more of a pixie, but she’s plenty strong enough. Aren’t you?’ she said, winking at me.

‘Absolutely,’ I said, giving her a grateful smile.