I told him the same thing I’d explained to Liam and then got to work. Each of the trees had a specific coloured ribbon, based on their variety and size, which the customers gave to David so he knew how much to charge them. The system was a good one and worked well. It didn’t take me long to get into my stride and the hours flew by with the tills everywhere ringing all afternoon.

I was making my way back from the car park at the end of the day with a sleigh in each hand and feeling tired and grubby when Liam called me over.

‘Are you still working, Liam?’ I frowned.

He’d been at it for hours but looked as keen as when he’d started.

‘Yes,’ he said. ‘Ned said I can legally do up to eight hours on a Saturday if I want to.’

I was pleased Ned had checked the legalities involved in hiring a teenager, because that was something I hadn’t taken into account at all.

‘That’s all right then,’ I said, breathing hard, ‘so what’s up? Do you need a comfort break?’

‘No,’ he said. ‘I’m good, but someone has left this in one of the sleighs,’ he went on to explain, pulling a wallet, full of notes and cards out of his fleece pocket. ‘I didn’t see who it was so I haven’t been able to track them down.’

I had just taken it from him, noticing that it was an old and slightly battered but still very beautiful Chanel wallet, when a woman came out of the barn and rushed in my direction.

‘Oh, you’ve found it,’ she beamed, clasping her hands together.

A much younger man followed her out, weighed down with shopping bags and with a frown etched deep across his forehead.

‘It’s here, Jamie,’ the woman called over her shoulder, sounding relieved. ‘I must have left it in this little cart we used to ferry our bags about.’

‘For pity’s sake,’ said the man, identified as Jamie. ‘I think you’d better let me take care of it, Mum.’

I handed it to her and she willingly passed it to her son.

‘I didn’t find it,’ I said, keen to give Liam all the credit. ‘My young assistant here spotted it and handed it in.’

‘Well,’ smiled the woman, turning her attention to Liam. ‘That was most kind of you, young man.’

Liam nodded, but didn’t look particularly impressed by her praise.

‘What is it?’ she asked him.

‘Yes, Liam,’ I nudged. ‘What’s wrong. You did the right thing looking after it until I came along, didn’t you?’

‘I know that,’ he said, looking at Jamie and then down at his boots.

‘I know what it is,’ Jamie smiled. ‘You’re thinking your colleague shouldn’t have just handed it over, aren’t you?’