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‘Well, that’s that, then! As long as we’re in by Christmas, we still have a deal.’

I give a little laugh of surprise. ‘What?’

‘Scarlett wants to be in for Christmas. That’s December twenty-fifth? I’ll just say I thought that’s what she meant! She’ll have to get ready to move in when the farm closes at lunchtime on the twenty-fourth!’ He beams.

‘Are you sure? You don’t want to run this past her?’

‘She said “in for Christmas”. She’ll tell me I’m an idiot, but she already thinks that. And the pups will be nearly ready to go by then. They’ll be coming up for six weeks old. Another two weeks, and they’ll be moving to new homes.’

‘A bit like me,’ I hear Will say and want to correct him, but I’m not sure how. I turn back to Luke.

‘You are not an idiot,’ I say crossly. ‘From where I’m standing, you’re a kind and honourable young man, trying his best to make this work for everyone.’

He shrugs.

‘I do just want it to work for everyone.’

I look at Will, who is chopping an onion, and then – I don’t know why – at Horse, who gives an impressed smile and nods.

‘Looks like that’s a deal, then,’ I say, feeling tears prick my eyes. There is a solution. This is it. I feel relieved. Really relieved. It’s a plan. ‘Will and I will be ready to leave come Christmas Eve. I’ll book us in to the local pub for Christmas lunch and speak to my neighbour Glan on the farm next door. He has holiday cottages. He’ll let me rent one for as long as I need, I’m sure. They won’t be full until the summer.’

‘That sounds good,’ says Luke. ‘And I’ll still get to see you and Will!’

‘Sounds like a plan,’ I say.

And it does indeed. Having a plan feels good, as if a weight has been lifted – for now, anyway.

Chapter 23

The next morning, Luke arrives early and goes to the barn to visit the pups. With Dinky at my heels ready for a break and a morning leg-stretch, I head out towards the forest. I’ve got a handsaw, big gloves and pruning loppers, and I’m ready to see what needs to be done.

It’s been a few Christmases since we last opened this place. Once Paddy fell ill, it lost its joy. I pause at the gate and lean against it for a moment, watching Tegan and Dinky sniff and snurgle around the roots of the trees in the frosty air.

‘So, is it true?’ Will runs up beside me, his hair standing out at angles from where he’s slept. He’s been sleeping better these days, I think.

‘Is what true, lovely?’ I ask.

‘That we’ll be here until Christmas Eve?’

‘Yes, we’ll be here until Christmas Eve,’ I say firmly. ‘Then we’ll move into one of the rental cottages next door and have our Christmas lunch at the pub. It’s all booked. And then, in the new year, we’ll look for somewhere to buy.’

He nods, swinging on the gate.

‘And we’re still opening the Christmas tree farm? And selling Christmas trees?’

I smile. It’s nothing we haven’t already talked about, but I understand why he needs me to say it again. ‘Yes, we are.’

‘Whoop,’ he says, jumping up and over the gate. ‘This is going to be the best Christmas ever!’ Then he turns back to me. ‘Actually, it’s sort of going to be my first Christmas ever.’

And those damn tears come back and sting my eyes again.

‘Mum didn’t believe in Christmas, and Ayesha celebrated different things. Diwali, with lights everywhere. That was nice.’

‘Well then, we’d better make this the best we can! With plenty of lights!’

We set off into the forest, the crisp crunch of frosty foliage underfoot, our warm breath spiralling upwards into the cold air. I cut through brambles with the loppers as we go, but it’s like a drop in the ocean. There are just so many: reaching, curling, climbing all over the trees and pathways. They snag the trim of my skirt over and over again. There are branches that need cutting back from bigger trees, reaching out to hold hands with their neighbours. I try tackling some of those with the saw, but the blade is blunt, and eventually I realize I’m making no inroads at all.

Will runs around with the dogs, dodging the brambles and jumping over branches like a pony. Despite my frustration at not being able to make any progress in the forest, and uncertainty about what on earth I’m going to do, I can’t help but smile.