‘There,’ I said, ‘I daresay he wanted to make sure you were okay.’

‘And Abbie probably did too,’ she pointed out. ‘But there were more calls from Ned.’

I tried not to feel jealous and instead focused on the fact that stage one of my matchmaking mission was finally launched.

‘Did you say you were looking for wood offcuts?’ Maya asked. ‘I’ll give you a hand if you like.’

I was happy to return to my new project and once she’d helped me dig out some sheets of ply, I explained what I hoped to achieve, even though I had no idea how to do some of it.

‘I can help you there,’ she said, quickly gathering the wood and sketches together. ‘Leave it with me and I’ll bring them back before you know it.’

True to her word she arrived back a short while later.

‘Are these what you had in mind?’ she asked, when she beckoned me over to show me, out of sight of the office.

‘Oh yes,’ I said, clapping my hands together. ‘They’re perfect. Thank you so much.’

‘It was no bother,’ she said. ‘My dad had the equipment to cut them and they’ve turned out really well.’

‘They’ll look even better when they’re painted up. Do you fancy giving me a hand?’

‘Oh no,’ she laughed, shaking her head so hard her ponytail bounced. ‘I’ll help you fix them in place, but if you want them to look half decent, don’t even think about passing me a paintbrush.’

When we knew Ned had gone back to the lodge and David had gone home, Maya helped me carry everything back to the barn where I hid it all away, ready for the next day. Ned had already told me he was going to be off-site and I thought I could easily set something up which would keep my clandestine crafting out of sight.

‘Will you get them all finished tomorrow?’ Maya asked.

‘No,’ I told her, ‘but I’ll be able to make a good start. Hopefully they’ll be done and fixed in place by the end of the week.’

‘I can’t wait to see them.’

‘Me neither,’ I said, wondering if Bandit might be able to give the idea the launch it deserved.

‘So,’ Maya said, following me out of the barn. ‘We are okay, aren’t we, Liza?’

‘Yes,’ I said, locking the door behind me. ‘Of course, we are. It was just a silly misunderstanding and entirely my fault. Although I’m pleased it happened.’

‘You are?’

‘Yes,’ I told her, ‘because if nothing else it’s proved how much Ned thinks of you, hasn’t it?’

‘Has it?’

‘Believe me,’ I said seriously, ‘he wouldn’t have reacted the way he did if you didn’t mean something to him, Maya.’

‘Well,’ she dreamily said, ‘we are friends.’