A beautiful vineyard. A new beginning. A summer that will change their lives forever…

Linzi arrived at Green Valley Vineyard nine years ago, in need of a fresh start. In the lush emerald countryside and ripening grapes, she finally has a place to call home.

But Linzi’s world is rocked when the owner announces he is retiring, and his grandson is taking over.

When Elliot Montgomery first sets foot at Green Valley, Linzi’s worst fears are realised. He’s stepped straight out of the boardroom in shiny shoes and a tailored suit. How will a numbers man like him ever understand the magic of what they do here?

Elliot has his own demons, carrying the grief of his father’s death. Despite their differences, he has come to the vineyard for a new beginning, much like Linzi once did.

As the summer unfolds, Elliot and Linzi find themselves in an uneasy alliance while old secrets threaten to be revealed.

Could more be about to bloom here among the twisting vines than they ever thought possible?

Available on multiple platforms in various formats. For Amazon UK and US click on the buy links below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BNKWW3NH

 https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Green-Valley-Vineyard-heart-warming-ebook/dp/B0BNKWW3NH

Audio link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-at-Green-Valley-Vineyard/dp/B0BRSZBZDT

https://www.amazon.com/Summer-at-Green-Valley-Vineyard/dp/B0BRSY4NBT

 

read chapter 1:

July

Linzi

1: The Dawn of a New Era

 

 

‘Linzi? Linzi! Hang on a sec… me legs won’t go any faster.’

I turn my head, surprised to see Gwyn Davies hurrying towards me. His face is glowing with exertion. Setting down the wheelbarrow, I idly kick some stray gravel off the path and back onto the border while I wait for him to catch up.

Gwyn manages the forestry team here at the vineyard and he also oversees site security. His time is split between juggling work schedules and whizzing around the extensive grounds on his quad bike managing the crew and making inspections.

‘I got… somethin’… ya need ta… hear.’ Gwyn huffs and puffs as he draws to a halt, pausing for a second or two while he composes himself. He mutters something in Welsh beneath his breath, before fixing his gaze on me. ‘I thought you were… in the Forestry Outpost,’ he bemoans. ‘I’d have driven up if I’d realised you were out and about.’

No one talks about Gwyn’s limp, or the fact that it’s getting steadily worse. He’s a proud man and at sixty-one he’s as keen as any thirty-year-old, but a car accident in his early fifties damaged his knee. For a while now, walking long distances over uneven ground has taken a visible toll on him. If his dear wife were still alive, she’d have laid down the law to him, but he refuses to ease up.

‘Oh, so you’re not chasing after me to give a hand with the weeding?’ I jest, unable to suppress a broad smile.

‘Like you’d trust me near those vines.’ Gwyn leans in close, lowering his voice as his eyes scope out the swathe of tall trees surrounding us. Up here, looking down onto the lake, sound does travel, as demonstrated by the constant low rumble from motorway traffic way off in the distance, but there’s no one even remotely within earshot. ‘This is from the old man himself, but it’s not common knowledge. There’s goin’ ta be an announcement.’

I glance at him, frowning. ‘Then maybe you should keep that information to yourself until he’s ready to tell the rest of us, Gwyn,’ I remark.

‘You don’t understand… he told me because he wants me to give you the heads-up.’

Ah, so that’s why Gwyn has gone to some trouble to track me down. I’m a good mile away from the main buildings that make up the hub of The Green Valley Vineyard hotel and restaurant complex. I can’t imagine what’s so important that it can’t wait until I’m back at lunchtime though.

‘The boss is handin’ over the runnin’ of the place to his grandson, Elliot,’ he blurts out.

I stare at him, shocked. ‘I thought something was going on – Thomas hasn’t been out and about much lately. But are you sure you have that right? I mean, in all the time I’ve been here I’ve never once clapped eyes on this Elliot. I hope he understands exactly what he’s taking on.’

‘Made a bit of a name for himself in London as an investment analyst, by all accounts.’

It’s not just the glitzy shows that attract Thomas Montgomery, and his wife, Katherine, on their regular jaunts to the city then. ‘Oh well… hopefully he’ll do what he does best and leave the rest of us to get on with our jobs. We might have to kit him out when he does the tour of the estate though. An expensive suit and leather shoes won’t stay clean for long.’

Gwyn chuckles, but it’s a nervous reaction more than an appreciation for my humour.

‘Thomas will no doubt give him a warnin’ not to upset you. There ain’t anyone else around here willin’ to talk to the precious grapevines,’ Gwyn states, quite matter-of-factly.

When I joined the vineyard forestry team nine years ago, I was a twenty-three-year-old, desperate for work. I’d recently moved back to the UK after five years living and working in Tuscany. Through a mutual acquaintance, Thomas approached me to come here to this beautiful spot in the verdant countryside of the Welsh valleys, to nurse some sickly vines back to good health. However, when I arrived, there was a level of scepticism among my colleagues about my ability to do the job; not least because people tend to equate age with experience. The fact that I also talk to the plants didn’t help my credibility either.

It was a tight-knit team headed up by Thomas’s son Robert, and Gwyn could see I was struggling to fit in. He kept an eye on me, looking on with interest and then awe as my hard work began to pay off. The bonus of what has become an enduring friendship with Gwyn is that we can speak frankly to each other, and that’s useful because when I’m upset I tend to withdraw. While I have a lot of patience for the plants, I can’t always say the same for people.

Gwyn’s voice breaks my chain of thought.

‘Elliot is bein’ brought in ta manage the restaurant and the hotel, and once he understands the way the entire operation works, Thomas will do a full handover. The boss said he’d be takin’ you to one side for a chat about that, but—’

‘But he wanted you to forewarn me so it could sink in.’

‘Thomas won’t entrust his precious vines to someone who doesn’t have a clue about viticulture, or winemakin’, Linzi. That goes without sayin’ and he laboured that point. He just wanted me to… pave the way for the conversation so you’re ready when you get the call. Things are about to change, but he’s goin’ ta keep an eye ta smooth out any wrinkles.’

As Gwyn is talking to me, my thoughts are whirling. Family connections, as I’ve learnt to my detriment in the past, count for everything. You forgive your own what you wouldn’t forgive a stranger, no matter how loyal they are, or how hard they work for you.

Initially, Thomas employed me on a one-year contract with the sole aim of increasing the annual yield of the vines. When he saw the results, he appointed me as his head gardener, reporting directly to him. We spent hours together, either inspecting the vines or drawing up plans to landscape the grounds. He said I had a natural ability and he valued that above all else: it gave me a sense of belief in myself. Often, he’d pull on his welly boots and come in search of me just to spend an hour tying up the vines or pruning. He’s always treated me more like a friend than an employee and said working alongside me was cathartic.

I’m also a good listener, and Thomas enjoys talking about the past. He once told me that, as a strapping young man, Gwyn could fell a substantial tree in less than a dozen swipes of an axe. But that was back in the early eighties, when Thomas and his small team of groundsmen were working tirelessly to clear the heavily forested land he’d inherited from his maternal grandfather. It was no mean feat to turn it into the magnificent vineyard it is today, and that doesn’t happen unless you put your heart and soul into it.

‘Should I be concerned?’

Gwyn shrugs his shoulders. ‘I knew Elliot as a lad when his dad brought him here durin’ the school holidays. Bit of a serious boy, as I recall. Clever like, there was no mistakin’ that. He traipsed around after Robert and did as he were told, but he ain’t the sort to enjoy gettin’ his hands dirty. Biggest loss ever to the family, was losin’ Robert. Now he had a love for the land in the way that you do, Linzi. He didn’t talk to the vines, but the business wouldn’t be where it is today if it weren’t for him.’

I let out a dejected sigh. ‘I miss Robert too, Gwyn.’ Even though we didn’t hit it off at first for a variety of different reasons. Over time we came to appreciate each other’s views and mutual respect resulted in a blending of ideas. His heart was in the right place; we simply got off on the wrong foot because Thomas hadn’t consulted him before bringing me in.

Gwyn and I exchange an uneasy glance as we remember the day fourteen months ago when Thomas broke the news that his only son had been killed in a car crash. A devastating event that was followed by a huge drop in staff morale. Overnight we’d lost our managing director, a man with an ambitious vision that was still a work in progress.

Thomas was forced to put his personal tragedy to one side and come out of retirement to oversee the extensive building work that was underway. But even he found it hard to pick up the reins as so much had changed since he’d stepped away from the business.

In a way, immersing himself in work was the worst thing for Thomas to do as it gave him an excuse not to deal with his grief. The effect on him was heart-rending. The satisfaction of knowing he’d created something special and that his son would continue his legacy had been tragically wrenched from him. The inner spark that always lit him up was growing dimmer with each passing day.

The irony is that as Robert’s hard work was coming to fruition, the vineyard went through a succession of general managers who struggled to understand Thomas’s ethos here. He became even more dispirited, and it took a toll on him emotionally and physically at a time when he should be taking life easy. A serious health scare isn’t something you can simply ignore; it’s a wake-up call.

‘I know, Linzi, me too. But we both know that things can’t go on as they are. It’s obvious now why Thomas has been a bit more like his old self recently. Elliot takin’ over the vineyard assures our future. It’s a good thing, you mark my words, but we need to brace ourselves for a period of settlin’ in.’

I can’t argue with that. ‘Well, as long as Elliot has a healthy respect for the land and the vines, then he won’t hear a peep from me.’

The look on Gwyn’s face tells me that he didn’t walk all this way, breaking into a sweat, because our worries about the longer-term future are about to magically disappear.

‘Just don’t go…’ He pauses. His left eyebrow begins to twitch, which means he’s about to say something he thinks I might not want to hear. ‘Don’t go judgin’ the guy before he’s had a chance to get his feet under the table. Everyone makes mistakes at the start – even you. We’re friends and friends talk straight to one another. For a quiet life, and because it would please Thomas, I’m askin’ ya to be diplomatic and cut Elliot some slack. You know it makes sense, Linzi.’

‘I’ll walk him around and answer his questions, but I’ll expect him to listen and take what I’m saying on board. I don’t suffer fools gladly when it comes to viticulture, Gwyn. And I’m not going to bend like a willow just to pander to his ego, even if he is going to be our boss. If he starts trying to change the way we do things and doesn’t understand the implications, I’ll put him straight every time.’

Gwyn shakes his head, rolling his eyes at me. I turn away, grabbing the handles of the wheelbarrow, and glance over my shoulder, raising a smile. ‘Thanks for the advance warning. You know I appreciate it. And don’t worry, forewarned is forearmed. There’s no way I want to upset Thomas and I’ll do my best to keep my cool. But I won’t let a newcomer, even if he is Thomas’s grandson, impact our reputation for producing world-class wines. Now, you’d better get back to work and I need to get on.’

Things are about to change and who knows what’s coming? Thomas put his trust in me to deliver what I promised, and I did. In return, he didn’t just give me a permanent job, he gave me a home here at the vineyard. I saved his precious vines and he saved me from myself. I owe him, and that’s the truth.

*

‘I hope you enjoyed the introductory video tutorials yesterday, but I’m sure you’re all eager to get hands-on. Before we head out, I can’t stress enough how important it is to know when to listen, and when to ask questions,’ I inform this summer’s batch of eager trainees.

As I glance around the room, I’m glad to see that we have at least two notetakers. Usually, it doesn’t take long to suss out who will last the entire summer and who the quitters will be. Out of the nine people who joined us yesterday, the first of July, for the four-month-long residential course, I wouldn’t be surprised if we lose a couple of them before we’re halfway through.

‘There are only two rules to remember.’ I stop, taking a moment to make eye contact with each and every one of them. ‘The first is that when we’re outside and I’m talking, you should be listening.’ The silence weighs heavily in the room and I know I have their full attention. ‘The second is that if there’s anything you’re unsure about, you ask the question before you touch the plant. Am I making myself clear?’

Heads nod. It’s almost time to let them loose. But only on the weeds, until they’ve earned my trust. And anyone who isn’t interested in going back to basics doesn’t have the right mindset for a course entitled ‘A Holistic Approach to the Natural Way to Grow Grapevines’.

There’s a loud tapping sound as the door opens and Gwyn peers in.

‘Sorry to interrupt, Linzi. Can I have a quick word?’

‘Sure. Right, guys, if you want to grab a coffee first, we’ll meet over in the outer car park to load up the trailer at ten-thirty on the dot.’

As I make my way out into the corridor, there’s a buzz of chatter in the background. Even so, I hear a lone voice above the others, uttering a loud grumble. ‘I think I’ve already mastered the art of weeding.’ A ripple of laughter ensues.

‘What’s up, Gwyn?’

‘Thomas has asked if you’d be kind enough ta join him for coffee. He knows you’re teachin’ and said to tell ya that it won’t take long. He asked me to keep an eye on the group until you get back. After their break I’ll get them ta load up the hoes and the buckets.’

I’m dreading this conversation, but Gwyn gives me a reassuring smile. ‘Thomas is determined ta make it work, Linzi. Just keep an open mind.’

Getting a new boss is like starting a new job; there are no guarantees you’ll fit in to their overall plan. It was different with the new managers because they didn’t own the place. One day soon Elliot will, but filling Thomas’s shoes isn’t easy. Robert had one major thing in common with his father – a love and appreciation for the land. They were growers first and foremost. That isn’t the case for Elliot and will be a concern for Thomas.

As I stride along the glass-enclosed walkway, past the little row of cottages the other side of a limestone-paved courtyard, I know I’m lucky to live in one of them. Bwthyn y Robin Goch, Red Robin Cottage, is my sanctuary. Steel yourself, Linzi, I tell myself as I head into the large annexe and make my way to Thomas’s office. Don’t make waves, because you have a lot to lose.

Giving a sharp rap on the door, I gingerly push it open. On the far wall, the bi-fold glass doors are pushed back, and Thomas is sitting on the balcony. He beckons me to join him, standing to greet me with a warm hug.

‘It’s good to see you, m’dear. I haven’t been avoiding you, I’ve just been busy and haven’t had time to get outside. It all looks perfect from here and I can relax knowing that you’re on top of everything. Anyway, I figured that even the tutor is allowed to have a coffee break.’ He grins at me and it’s the old Thomas, the one who smiled more than he frowned. ‘Make yourself comfortable. This vista never grows old, does it?’

Ever the gentleman, Thomas doesn’t sit until I’m settled, and we turn our attention to the view. The long rows of vines seem to stretch out forever and seeing the vineyard from this elevated vantage point makes my heart swell with pride. All those tender new spring shoots are now in leaf and it’s down to the sun and the rain to swell the budding fruits. Beyond that, the sheep grazing in the adjoining farmer’s fields bleat to one another, as if in conversation. It’s the sort of vista you see in a painting and I stare at it, seeing in my mind’s eye the delightful changes throughout the seasons. Each bringing the landscape to life in a unique way. Today there’s a velvety green shimmer, as the breeze blows gently through the vines, the shrubs and the trees. It’s heavenly.

I turn to look at Thomas, watching as he draws in a slow and worryingly deep breath before speaking.

‘In building this annexe Robert had a real vision, didn’t he?’

I’m surprised he frames it as a question, as if he’s looking for confirmation. It was a massive investment, but now the disruption of the building work is finally out of the way it’s onwards and upwards from here.

‘He did. He made his mark, Thomas.’ With the extra guest rooms, the new offices, and the extended restaurant, what better showcase for the wonderful wines we produce?

Thomas settles back, looking content.

‘It’s been quite a journey since the day you arrived, hasn’t it, Linzi? It’s almost a decade now, can you believe it?’ Thomas slides a cup and saucer closer to me. ‘Cappuccino, no sugar and your favourite lemon biscotti.’

‘You’re right – the time has flown!’ As our eyes meet, memories come flooding back of things I haven’t dwelt on for a while. Like sitting on a terrace in Tuscany with my former boss and Thomas, on the last of a series of trips he made spanning eighteen months. Back then, I had no reason to believe our paths would cross again, or that Thomas would reach out to me.

‘I probably ate my weight in biscotti when I was working in Italy,’ I joke, eliciting a chuckle from Thomas. ‘A lot has happened since then.’ It’s impossible to keep a hint of sadness from creeping into my voice.

‘It has. And it wasn’t only you who turned your back on Italy. Raffaele eventually followed you here.’

Thomas is teasing me; he knows Raffaele Conti and I are close, but we’re just good friends.

‘It wasn’t me who enticed him here. The Black Ridge Vineyard needed an expert wine taster and I simply mentioned there was a job going.’

‘Well, it strengthened the links between the two vineyards and I’m grateful to you for that.’ Thomas pauses and I wonder where this is going. ‘Are you still happy living here, Linzi? No thoughts of returning to Italy?’

My reaction is instant. ‘This is my home now, Thomas. The only place I’ve ever lived where I felt I made a real difference.’ In Italy I was merely the protégée, as was Raffaele. I wanted it to be my forever home – however, wanting and getting are two very different things.

‘That’s good to hear, Linzi. Life isn’t fair, we both know that, but Robert would be so proud knowing that I’ve finally convinced Elliot to get involved.’ Thomas looks at me intently.

The way Thomas said convinced sends a little shiver down my spine, despite the warmth of the sun’s rays shining down on us. Feeling nervous, I nibble on the biscotti, trying hard to push away memories of the past I disciplined myself long ago not to dwell on.

As if reading my mind, Thomas continues. ‘Do you still have any contact with Castello di Ilaria?’

I shake my head, pausing to pick up the coffee cup and savour a mouthful. Caffeine is exactly what I need right now to fortify me. ‘No. It feels like a lifetime ago, but I’m grateful for every single moment of the five years I spent there. It was a steep learning curve and the most intense period of my life, but also the most wonderful.’

Thomas closes his eyes for the briefest of moments, no doubt transported back to the day we first met. Umberto Leone, the owner of the medieval vineyard in Greve, Tuscany, introduced me to Thomas as la donna che sussurra alle vigne – the vine whisperer. Thomas was amused, thinking it was some sort of quaint tradition, but Umberto was serious.

As an eighteen-year-old backpacker, a casual job picking grapes to fund my travels ended up as an apprenticeship learning from one of the greatest wine growers in Italy. It was only then I realised why my life had always felt so empty: it had been devoid of passion. Italy, the grapevines and Umberto changed that, for a while.

‘I’m happy you’ve found a way to secure the future of the vineyard, Thomas. I really am.’

Thomas gives me a coy smile, knowing that he’s prepared the ground.

‘Gwyn’s loyalty means a lot to me. And you know that my love for this place will be with me until the day I die, but it needs a vitality I can’t bring to it anymore. However…’ His hesitation is telling. ‘My grandson, Elliot, is dynamic. There will be no worries on the financial front and that’s crucial at this stage in our development. We’ve come too far to overextend ourselves and put it all in jeopardy. Elliot understands the importance of valuing each person’s contribution. But his expertise is heavily weighted towards the commercial aspects of running a business.’

Pushing away nostalgic thoughts, I’m firmly back in the moment.

‘You’ve surrounded yourself with a good team Thomas, we won’t let you – or Elliot – down. I promise not to upset—’

‘I want you to teach him, Linzi. Introduce him to the land and the grapevines. Show him why what you do is so important. Make him understand, because without that insight he’s at a real disadvantage.’

Thomas’s words make me almost choke on my coffee. ‘You are joking… I hope. We both know that sort of connection only comes from spending time out in the open and rolling up your sleeves. Each to their own, as they say. Anyway, he’ll be much too busy to allocate time to that. I can give him an introductory tour and answer whatever questions he might have, no problem at all.’

‘As you so rightly point out, Linzi, it’s something he must learn for himself. He’ll be seeking you out to please me and his viticultural education can begin. I’m going to give you a new job title and job description to put a little more weight behind your role. It’s just tidying up loose ends.’

My expression is one of confusion. ‘Why?’

‘Trust me, it’s a necessary detail I should have remedied before now and you’ll get a corresponding rise in salary. It will also avoid any misunderstandings when it comes to the decisions made regarding the care of the vines.’

‘That’s not necessary, Thomas. You’ve been very good to—’

‘Listen, in the big wide world it’s all about job titles and pay grades. You were good enough to take on the mentoring programme Robert pushed through. I know it takes you outside of your comfort zone, but it’s knowledge we need to share if we want to influence the future of the industry. People like the label “organic”, but it’s so much more than jumping through hoops to get certified. What you do is on a different spectrum altogether.’

Recalling my first day here and the look on Thomas’s face as I kicked off my shoes and walked barefoot alongside him as we inspected the vines, still makes me smile. He had no idea that the over-application of chemical fertilisers they were using to protect the plants was actually damaging them. All around me the spring growth was starting to yellow and scorch. A wave of sadness washed over me as I picked up on their struggle and my inner voice was strong. I’m here to help, I reassured them. It’s not too late.

‘I still tell the story of your arrival to anyone who shows an interest in the vineyard,’ Thomas continues, chuckling to himself. ‘You successfully influenced Robert’s point of view when he saw the results of your efforts, even though he never really understood the bond you have with the plants.’

‘But it’s true to say that he had green fingers… like you, Thomas.’

‘It wasn’t enough though, Linzi, was it? And I fear it’s not an interest we’ve passed down the line. While my grandson will do his homework, I want him to spend some actual time among the vines. It’s crucial he understands it’s not simply about the bottom-line figure on a spreadsheet.’

‘You’re worried that Elliot will interfere with what I do?’

Thomas shifts uneasily in his chair. ‘I know he won’t understand it to begin with. He’ll focus on the finances because that’s his strength and, my, do we need that right now to keep us on track. But having said that, as the viticulture and training manager, the true nature of your role will be formally recognised.’

I can feel the blood draining from my face. ‘What?’

Thomas holds up his hands, staring back at me sheepishly. ‘I know it sounds pretentious, but head gardener belies your true role. You still won’t be managing staff; I promise you that. Gwyn will continue to allocate the team and ensure you have the manpower you need. But Elliot will respect the title and the role you have to play. My wish is that you set aside time to show him what you do and gain his trust. He’s the financier and you’re the viticulturalist. They are two entirely different disciplines, but both are equally vital to the continuing success of our vineyard. Robert was in synch with the land, but the business side overwhelmed him at times. Now we have Elliot and it’s an about-turn. He’ll make sure the business is profitable; when it comes to the vines and the landscaping, I want you to make sure our standards don’t slip. You’re in charge of that side of things until he’s fully up to speed and I expect you to stand your ground if the occasion warrants it.’

He said ‘our’ vineyard, and while that isn’t true, on another level it is. But only Thomas and I can appreciate that. A vine whisperer can feel when the plants aren’t happy; it’s a physical thing like a psychic medium sensing a spirit. Nature talks to us all the time but, sadly, people have forgotten how to listen and that breaks my heart.

‘Are you saying he’s coming into this thinking I’m not the right person for the job?’ I try to keep my voice even.

‘Of course not.’ Thomas dismisses my comment without even pausing to think about it. ‘I’m asking you to do this as a favour to me, Linzi. It’s important that my grandson understands we are merely caretakers of the land. That’s a huge responsibility because it will be here long after we’re gone. While I’m alive I’ll be an ongoing influence, but it will be in the background, as that’s the deal I’ve made with my grandson. If you can gain his confidence, then he’ll trust your judgement. One day he’ll settle down and I’m not simply handing him a business he can sell on at a profit – it’s so much more than that. Everyone who works here has been hand-picked and deserves job security. Each is an expert at what they do; from our wonderful chefs to the waiting staff who welcome our guests to make their experience here memorable, to our forestry team and… you – the keeper of the vines, the person at the heart of our operation.’

It’s my unofficial title and I’m aware that people use it behind my back. Thomas often refers to me in that way, and the truth is that’s how I see myself.

‘It’s a circle, isn’t it? We all need each other to succeed.’ I lower my eyes, wondering whether this is a bright new beginning, or the start of changes I won’t be able to accept.

‘Precisely. It’s something that Elliot must take on board because his career up to this point has been focused on a different sort of pruning to yield success. I want to avoid that scenario and I’m unleashing my secret weapon.’

A huge lump begins to rise in my throat as I realise Thomas’s concern is real. ‘Which is?’

‘You, Linzi. There won’t be a single criticism he can raise about our working practices that you can’t justify. He’s a good man and he won’t argue if you can back up what you say with facts and figures. The nature of his previous job was to dig deep to expose the flaws in a business, the inconvenient truths that often remain hidden. I like to think that we don’t work that way, but if he finds anything that doesn’t add up, he’ll want to address it.’

‘What makes you think he’ll be prepared to listen to me?’

Thomas starts laughing. ‘I didn’t say it was going to be easy, but in you he will have met his match. You’ve never backed down from an argument when you know you’re right, Linzi, have you? The ethos we have when it comes to our growing practices is why we’ve been able to expand so rapidly. We have a product of which we can be proud. I need you to challenge any changes you think will be detrimental going forward, in the same way that I trust Michael, as hotel and restaurant manager, to defend his corner.’

It sounds like Thomas is expecting an all-out war.

‘I’d do that anyway because I believe in speaking the truth.’ But even as I say the words, a little tremor of hesitation courses through me.

Two years ago, when I hit thirty it made me sit back and appraise my life. Because my family and I aren’t close, what I have now seems even more precious; the respect for what I do from my colleagues, some of whom are now good friends, job security, and comfort. I’m not sure I could start over again from scratch. Maybe this willow is prepared to bend a little. But how far? Everything has a snapping point.

‘And to be clear,’ Thomas states quite firmly, ‘I don’t intend to interfere with the running of this place. Having said that, I’m a phone call away if you have any concerns now that you’re stepping up into a new role, Linzi. I’ll get an enhanced job description drawn up for you to approve and sign prior to Elliot’s arrival. It’ll clip his wings a little, but for all the right reasons. Can I count on you to have my back on this?’

How can I refuse Thomas anything? Without him I don’t know where I’d be right now. Having hit rock bottom once, I’m not sure I could cope with it a second time…