We held hands with the people next to us and I felt grateful to have Ned on my left and Sue on my right. Bathed in the orange glow from the fire it was harder to pick familiar faces out and in spite of the warmth I felt a shiver run through me. Not of fear, more of the unknown. I’d never experienced anything like it before.

Another hooded figure, which I hadn’t spotted in the shadows, stepped seemingly out of the fire, and I gasped. Ned squeezed my hand and the ceremony began. Once a circle of protection had been drawn, there was much talk of the lengthening of days and then two men, wearing masks and carrying sticks, battled. One was the holly king, the other the oak and it was the oak king who rose victorious, regaining the crown and once again reigning supreme.

The light had faded completely as a quiet chant began to echo around the group. I stared into the flames feeling, I wasn’t sure what, but definitely something. Tears gathered in my eyes which had nothing to do with the woodsmoke and when I felt a light tap on my shoulder, I let go of Sue and Ned’s hands, stepped forward and dropped my note into the flames. I watched as the edges of the paper curled and then suddenly, it burst into flames and along with it went my guilt and all of my regrets from the past and I stepped back, ready to embrace my future.

Once everyone had taken their turn, the circle was opened, the lamps retrieved and the slow walk back to the village began. I would have liked to have thanked the woman who had officiated but she seemed to have disappeared as quickly as she’d emerged.

‘That was quite something, wasn’t it?’ said Ned, as everyone around us streamed away while we lingered behind.

‘Yes,’ I huskily said, still staring into the flames. ‘I don’t know what I had been expecting, but it wasn’t that.’

‘When those men jumped out to battle with those masks on,’ said Ned, shaking his head, ‘I almost jumped out of my skin.’

‘I felt you,’ I smiled, tearing my eyes away and breaking whatever spell it was that had drawn me to the glowing blaze.

It was completely dark now and when my eyes readjusted, I could make out the pinprick of stars in the inky sky and I could hear the sea too. I hadn’t noticed the lapping waves at any point during the ceremony but they sounded loud now.

‘I think the tide’s coming in,’ I said, looking across the sand. ‘We should move, Ned.’

‘You’re right,’ he said, cocking his head to listen.

‘But before we do,’ I said, catching his hand, ‘I want to ask you something. Do you think it would be all right if we told everyone straightaway that we’re together?’