I didn’t much like Bandit being banished and Ned hadn’t been gone many minutes, leaving behind a lingering trace of luscious woody aftershave, before I unlocked the door and let the dog back out again. He gave me an accusatory cerulean ‘I should think so too’ stare, obviously aware that I had been the cause of his eviction from the hearth.

I apologised with a treat from the locked cupboard which contained his food and then settled down on the sofa and fired up my laptop. There they all were, David’s multiple emails explaining what had been happening along with the details of the potential future changes.

I skimmed a few, but properly read the details of others and soon got the gist that Ned was keen to vastly extend the Wynter’s Trees season and not with a view to just boosting profits.

Most recently there had been a Halloween party in the barn and a spooky trail around part of the plantation to help raise funds for the village hall which was in need of repairs, and there was another email explaining that more trees were going to be donated to local causes this year along with the reasons why. There was further future investment earmarked for the nature reserve too. A bird-hide named after Dad was apparently in the pipeline.

I went to bed, further reassured of Ned’s commitment to the business and I happily snuggled down under the duvet and contentedly ran through the words I would say when I spoke to him and David about my plans the next day.

‘My dear, Liza,’ beamed David, rushing to greet me, when I went over to the office early the next morning. ‘I’m so happy that you finally agreed to come home.’

‘So am I,’ I told him as he pulled me in for a hug, and in spite of the fact that I’d never really considered the place ‘home’.

That said, in just a few minutes, I would finally be able to explain why I was so happy to be here and that was something to smile about.

‘I knew you would be,’ he said, releasing me and looking over to Ned. ‘Didn’t I say to you, that if we could just get her here, then everything would be fine?’

‘You did,’ Ned agreed, ‘many, many times.’

Suddenly I found it wasn’t so easy to return the look David was giving me. It was obvious that he was still harbouring the hope that I might move back for good.

‘So,’ he said, ushering me into a chair. ‘How are you finding things? I know some of it has probably been a bit tough, but you’re all right really, aren’t you?’