If Ned did come around to the idea of me staying and setting up a forest school, then I was going to have to properly curb my feelings for him and, given the lack of success on that front I’d had so far, I wasn’t sure how I would do that. But then, that envelope had been cast aside so there was every possibility that he’d say no anyway and the time spent worrying about it wouldn’t have been worth it. As I said… my head was full.

‘Okay folks,’ shouted Ned, a few minutes after six as the last of the customers cars disappeared down the drive. ‘We’re now officially closed for the day! We’ll see you all back here for the party at half seven! Yes?’

‘Yes!’ everyone cheered.

I hesitated for a moment, wondering whether to try and talk to him then, but Maya was quicker than me. The cheer had barely died down before she had linked her arm through his and steered him back over to the barn.

It didn’t take me long to get ready as I hadn’t got a wardrobe of party gear to pick from. Had I known a celebration was on the cards when I had been packing to come, I would have added something a little more special, but my priorities then had been leaving again as soon as possible and piling in clothes that would keep me warm.

‘Are you ready, Liza?’ Ned called up the stairs, just after seven. ‘I thought we could go over together?’

Assuming we were alone, I went to rush down and take the opportunity to talk to him, but then I heard Maya’s voice in the background.

‘Not quite,’ I said, my voice cracking as I stepped back into my room. ‘Don’t wait for me. I’ll lock up and follow you over in a minute.’

I didn’t think I would be able to bear the sight of them smiling up at me. They would be all dressed up and no doubt looking every inch the perfect couple. For two pins I would have shrugged off my cord jacket, hung my dress back in the wardrobe and buried myself under the duvet, but I didn’t. I listened to them leave, then took a deep breath, ran a brush through my hair, which I’d left loose, added a layer of lip gloss and pulled on my boots.

My look was definitely more boho than conventional Christmas, but it didn’t matter. I would never be able to compete with Maya’s natural sparkle and shine. Not that it was a competition. And besides, given the turmoil coursing through my system, I thought it would be best if I stuck to making small talk and blending into the festive background. I might even slip out and head back to the lodge once I’d done the rounds.