Having promised Ned and David that I would stay until Christmas, I was pleased that as well as sorting through things in the lodge, there was going to be plenty for me to do and I’d already got my eye on a few offcuts of wood in the barn that I was planning to turn into signs. Now I knew everyone’s business names and a bit about them, I could paint them accordingly and if I got on with the project straightaway, I would be able to hang them on their doors before the launch.

‘Your mum and dad would be so proud of you,’ said Sue, singling me out for another hug as everyone got ready to leave. ‘I know it’s taken you a long time to work your way back here, and I know the complicated reasons why better than anyone else, but you’re here now, and that’s all that matters.’

I squeezed her back and tried not to think of all the people I was going to disappoint when they found out the truth behind my return. Ned had been right earlier when he’d warned me that if everyone knew of my plans to sell, they’d spend the whole time trying to convince me to change them. If I shared my business idea, they might well tell me they loved it, but when it came down to it, I bet they’d love to keep a Wynter at Wynter’s Trees more.

‘Isn’t it?’ Sue smiled, pulling away a little so she could look at me.

‘Yes,’ I nodded, feeling my heart race. ‘That’s all that matters now.’

Chapter 6

During the next few days, I didn’t have a spare second in which to start sorting the lodge or mull over the implications of Ned’s request that we should keep my plans under wraps. There was no time to fret over the plethora of feelings and unexpected regrets Sue and her kind words had unleashed either. It was all hands on deck to get ready for the grand opening event and the days flew by in a frenetic whirl of activity.

There was always someone, besides Ned and David, on-site and more often than not they needed a hand. After prioritising the design, printing and distribution of the posters and flyers Ned had asked me to make, I then moved from one hut to the next, assisting in tasks which ranged from hanging shelves, to draping lights and even arranging displays. Given the beautiful products on offer, that was my favourite task.