Escape to the Country

by Patsy Collins

  "Trouble is, there aren't so many people who do thatching anymore. It's not going to be easy to get the thatch replaced quickly."

  "I suppose not," she admitted grudgingly. Yet another black mark she'd wrongly put against Gilmore-Bunce. "Actually, flooding in is an exaggeration, but there is a leak in her bedroom and some of her clothes got damp."

  "How about covering the roof with a tarpaulin sheet? It'll look awful, but perhaps be better than nothing?"

  "Could that be done quickly?"

  "Yes, I'll make sure it is."

  "Thanks, that's wonderful. Thanks very much, Duncan."

  He looked surprised.

  Leah blushed. "When you helped me out last time, I mentioned you to my aunt. She asked around and found out there was a new man who'd started and learnt your name. I'm afraid she's a bit nosy."

  "Don't worry, Leah. We're all a bit like that round here," he reassured her. He smiled, but didn't say anything else, so she had no reason to stay.

  "Well, thanks again."

  As she walked home with Tarragon she realised he'd used her name. Obviously Jayne wasn't the only one who'd been asking around.

  "Here boy," she called Tarragon. "Have some chews."

  Chapter 6

  A few days later, Leah finished washing up and stood at the kitchen window looking out at Jayne who was standing in the yard as though she were waiting for someone. Leah hoped it was because she could see or hear Duncan coming to fix the roof. Leah rushed back downstairs after changing into more flattering and less smelly clothes, combing her hair, adding another coat of lipgloss and applying mascara, to see Jayne still in the yard.

  Assuming Jayne was waiting for Duncan had just been wishful thinking brought on by her desire to see him she realised. Leah went out to her.

  "Jayne, are you OK?"

  "What? Oh, yes, yes, of course."

  "It's just that you've been stood there for a long time."

  "Have I? Yes, sorry I suppose I have. I was just thinking." She gave an unconvincing laugh. "Nothing to do but think around here these days. We've done a brilliant job catching up with all the little jobs that had sort of got missed lately. I'm so glad you're here, lovey."

  Despite her smile, it didn't seem that Jayne was completely happy. Leah was sure something was worrying her and guessed the last comment wasn't just because of the work Leah had done.

  "Jayne, what's wrong?"

  "As we've caught up, I've got time to give you a milking lesson," Jayne said briskly.

  Leah allowed her to change the subject. "But you don't usually start until about four."

  "No, but I finish by quarter past."

  "You think it'll take me nearly two hours to get the hang of it?" Leah asked and gave a mock pout.

  "You'll see. Come on." Whatever had been worrying Jayne, she seemed to have put it out of her mind.

  Rosemary didn't seem to mind being brought in early for milking and stood quietly eating as Jayne positioned the stool and bucket for Leah. Jayne crouched down by Leah's side and grasped one of Rosemary's teats.

  "Put your finger and thumb around the top, like this."

  Leah copied Jayne's example.

  "You need to squeeze quite hard with the first finger, then gradually curl your other fingers round and squeeze each in turn so you push the milk from the top to the bottom of her teat."

  Jayne demonstrated, sending a warm stream of milking gushing into the bucket, then another and another.

  Leah tried. Nothing happened.

  "Squeeze harder." Jayne showed her again.

  "I don't want to hurt her."

  "You won't. Remember how hard the orphan lambs sucked on your fingers when you were a kid?"

  "Yes. It felt as though they were trying to swallow me whole."

  "Well, just imagine how hard a calf would suck."

  Leah tried again. A few drops of milk were released.

  "Better, but hold really firmly at the top. More of it is going back into her udder than is coming out the end which won't be comfortable for her."

  "Sorry, Rosemary," Leah said and had another try. After a few more attempts she managed to create a jet of milk almost as impressive as Jayne's effort.

  "Yay! I can do it!"

  "Keep going."

  Jayne worked on two teats, while Leah concentrated on the one nearest to her.

  Leah continued until her arm began to ache. "This is harder work than I thought," she admitted.

  "Harder than you realise. How much milk do you think you've got there?" Jayne nodded towards the bucket.

  "About a gallon?"

  Jayne blew into the bucket creating a hole in the froth on the top.

  "About half a gallon," Leah amended. "How much does she give each day?"

  "Four gallons."

  "You're going faster than me and doing two at once, so I've managed about a pint?"

  "Yes. Well, nearly that much."

  "Then for goodness sake, take that food away from her! She's making more faster than I can get it out of her."

  "Don't panic. Once I've got as much as we need, I let the calves in with her and they take the rest."

  "We've got nearly enough now, haven't we?" Leah asked hopefully.

  "Yes, that's plenty if you've had enough. I give the pigs any that's left over, but they don't really need it."

  "I'll just have a quick go doing it two handed, just to see if I can." She could, just about, although the efforts of her left hand produced very little and she couldn't get into a steady rhythm.

  "You're doing really well for a first lesson," Jayne assured her.

  "A natural, I'd say."

  At the sound of Duncan's voice, Leah leapt to her feet, almost knocking over the milk bucket in her surprise. She began the introductions.

  Jayne strode over and grabbed Duncan's hand. "Lovely to meet you, I've heard so much about you."

  "You have?" He looked confused, but pleased.

  "Fancy a cuppa?" Jayne asked.

  "Thanks, but I can't stop. I just called in to say we've got hold of the tarpaulin to patch up your roof. I could put it on tomorrow if that's convenient?"

  "It is. The afternoon would be best."

  "That's fine for me. I'll let you get on with your milking." He nodded at Jayne and winked at Leah. "If I can't find you, I'll know where to look."

  Jayne giggled as he walked away.

  "It's not funny," Leah said.

  "What isn't?"

  "He was laughing at how slow I was with the milking."

  "You think so? I thought he meant he'd hope to find you in the hay barn."

  Leah giggled too. "I don't think so." She sat back on the stool and had another try at milking two-handed. As she squeezed the teats she wondered how long Duncan had been watching and what he'd really thought.

  Once Leah felt she'd progressed as well as she could for the first lesson, they let the calves in with Rosemary and took the milk away to strain and chill it.

  "Leah, there's something I, er..."

  "What?"

  "I've got a doctor's appointment tomorrow. It's probably nothing, but I'd got myself into a bit of a state about it."

  It didn't seem likely Jayne would get into a state over nothing. "Do you want me to come with you?"

  "No," Jayne snapped. She sighed. "Sorry. I'd rather not talk about it, not until I know what exactly is wrong."

  "OK." She couldn't force Jayne to confide and didn't want to upset her by trying.

  "Besides, I'm going just after lunch and might not be back by the time Duncan arrives. It would look very rude if neither of us was here."

  It would a bit, particularly as Jayne had suggested what time he should come. Was that was done to distract Leah from worrying about the doctor's appointment, or just a ploy to allow Leah and Duncan to spend some time together? Either Jayne was playing matchmaker, or was desperately concerned about her health - or possibly both.

  Leah helped Jayne to bundle up herbs and load eggs into the pick-
up before she left for the doctor's. Although they'd already completed all the morning tasks, Leah planned to look busy and competent when Duncan arrived. She filled bags with loose hay in the barn as that was a task she was unlikely to mess up. They looked so soft and comfortable that she was tempted to lie on them for a little rest. She blushed as she wondered what Duncan would think if he arrived to find her sprawled out on the hay. She'd carried the first bag over to the lambs' pen just as he arrived.

  Attached to the front of the tractor were what looked like the tines from a forklift truck and on them was a huge roll of bright blue plastic.

  "Hi, Leah," he called. "I've come to sort out the roof. Jayne about?"

  "No, she's gone to the doctor's."

  "Jayne? I've never known her to be ill."

  "Never?" How long had he been working at home farm? Three, four weeks?

  He looked embarrassed. Maybe he'd done so much asking around about her, he felt as though he knew them both better than he did? That made her want to rescue him from his discomfort.

  "I know what you mean though, she doesn't seem the sort to get ill, does she? It's just a routine check thing though, nothing to worry about," she added, hoping it was true.

  "That's good. If you're willing to give me a hand, we can get the roof patched up before she comes back."

  "I can try, what would I have to do?"

  "Just work the hydraulics on the tractor to lift me and the tarpaulin up onto the roof." He pointed at the blue plastic.

  "Hydraulics?"

  "You just push a lever, it's easier than changing gear in a car. Come on, I'll show you."

  She climbed up into the tractor cab and sat in the seat. Tarragon tried to follow.

  "I think I'd better put him inside, I don't think he'll be much help."

  She took the dog into the cottage and came straight back to resume her seat in the tractor.

  Duncan stood on the step and showed her how to raise and lower the forks. The levers did look rather like a gear stick and just had to be pushed forward or back.

  "Do it very slowly, if it jerks too much I'll fall off. As it goes up, use this one here to keep them level."

  "I'd better practice before you get on."

  "Go on then."

  She could have found the right lever and pushed it in the correct direction without him taking her hand and guiding it, but she didn't like to say so. His touch was warm and gentle and she felt a thrill that wasn't entirely due to managing to control the unfamiliar equipment.

  Her first efforts to raise and lower the forks were a bit jerky, but she soon managed to manoeuvre them reasonably smoothly.

  "Excellent. Now this one," he lifted her hand onto a third lever, "is to slide the forks out. You'll need to do that once I'm up above the roof."

  "You're going right up there?"

  "That's where the hole is."

  A good point, but it seemed awfully high and rather dangerous if he had to rely on her to raise him safely.

  She practised using all three levers until she was sure she could manage.

  "That's it, you've got the hang of it. If you make a mistake when I'm up there, don't panic, just let go of everything and either wait until you remember what to do, or yell to me for instructions, OK?"

  "Got it."

  "Great. We just need to get the tractor into position. Scoot over a bit and I'll move it forward."

  He slid onto the seat beside and her and put his arm round her to grip the wheel.

  "Ready?"

  She was more than ready.

  He touched her leg to indicate she was to use the clutch. The tractor crawled forward. She was impressed it could go so slowly, especially as she was in no hurry to get there which would mean she'd no longer be able to lean back against his chest with his arm wrapped around her or feel the warmth of his thigh pressed against hers.

  Leah looked down at the gear lever. "Crikey, how many gears has this thing got?"

  "Eleven forward and four reverse in both upper and lower ratios. It's in the lower ratio now and on flat ground like this it could easily pull away in sixth."

  "This is sixth gear?" Surely if it were moving any slower it would be stopped?

  "No, first." Obviously he wasn't in any more of a hurry than she was.

  Once the tractor was close enough, Duncan jumped down. "Just do exactly what you practised. I'll point up or down to show you what I want."

  "I'll try to get you in exactly the right position."

  "Sounds fun." He winked at her, then jumped down and climbed onto the roll of blue tarpaulin.

  Duncan gave her a thumbs up. She smiled and returned the gesture before realising he was probably indicating for her to lift him up. She put her hand on the lever and pulled gently. The forks and Duncan rose slowly. She noticed she'd have to straighten him up at just the point he held out a hand and wobbled it to indicate that's what he wanted her to do.

  Leah found it easy to interpret Duncan's hand signals and translate them into the appropriate movements of the levers. She did feel a little nervous when he was above the cottage roof and she had to extend the forks. He looked vulnerable and was trusting her not to let him fall.

  Once in position, Duncan climbed out onto the tines and began opening up the tarpaulin. He looked perilously unbalanced as he hefted the heavy material and turned it over. Just as she thought he'd set himself an impossible task, he threw the sheet. It landed perfectly in position. Duncan indicated for her to retract the forks.

  In her impatience to get him safely back down she jerked the lever causing Duncan to lose his footing. She was sure he'd fall and raised her hands to her face. When she looked again he was still on the forks, kneeling now and with his arms at full stretch reaching for the metal supports, but still there. Still safe.

  Leah had to take several deep breaths before she dared touch the controls again. By that time, Duncan had slithered back along the tines and braced himself more securely against the framework. Slowly she reached for the lever and eased it ever so gently. Getting him back down seemed to take much longer than it had to lift him up, but eventually he was back on the ground.

  She jumped down from the cab and ran to hug him. "I'm so sorry, I thought I'd dropped you."

  "It's OK, I'm fine," he whispered in her ear. The feel of his arms around her and the warmth of his breath did nothing to calm her heart rate.

  "My fault, I should have warned you that without the weight of the tarpaulin, the hydraulics might work more quickly."

  It was nice of him to say that, but she knew the mistake was hers.

  "Come in and have a cup of tea or something. I know I could do with one and I wasn't the one in danger or having to do all the hard work."

  "A cup of tea would be nice," he said. "I'd better tie the tarpaulin down first. I don't want it flying away before I've finished the job."

  He used ropes attached to eyelets in the corners of the blue plastic sheet, to fix it securely in place.

  Tarragon greeted them both as though he hadn't seen them for weeks and had spent every moment looking forward to being able to slobber on them and bash them with his waggy tail. Because of that, they had to catch hold of each other for support as they removed their coats and muddy boots. Or at least, that's the excuse Leah would have used if he'd asked why she had her arm around him.

  Leah made them both a cup of tea and took it into the living room where he was sprawled on one sofa. He'd positioned himself at one end so there was plenty of room for her to sit next to him. She wasn't sure if that was an invitation or if he just thought it was easiest to sit near a table on which he could put his mug. She handed him his tea then sat on a chair where she could watch him. Immediately she jumped up again.

  "Are you hungry? We've got cake, or I could make you a sandwich?"

  "What kind of cake?"

  "Dundee. Jayne made it."

  "Go on then, you've talked me into it."

  As she cut the cake she remembered his arm around her as h
e'd driven the tractor. Whether his choice of seat was intended as an invitation or not, he wasn't going to mind her sitting next to him.

  He didn't react when she returned with his cake and sat beside him, but Tarragon did. He came over and placed his head between them. They both went to stroke him at the same time and Leah ended up holding Duncan's hand rather than Tarragon's silky ear. She was almost sure that had been completely accidental. Duncan grinned at her but said nothing, even when she felt herself blush.

  "So, have you always been able to drive a tractor?" she asked, grabbing at the first subject of conversation that occurred to her. It was hardly brilliant as presumably his feet wouldn't have reached the pedals during his early years.

  "Pretty much, yes. My dad taught me when I was a kid. He sat me on his lap and let me steer."

  So, she wasn't quite such a blithering idiot as she'd feared.

  "And you've never learnt despite having an aunt who's a farmer?" He asked.

  "No. When I came here as a kid Grandad, Jayne's father, still drove the old tractor and I was too small then. It was a funny little thing with no cab and absolutely no safety features. I never wanted to try though, I was just interested in the animals, especially the orphan lambs."

  "I used to love feeding them when I was a kid. We don't bother with them now on Home Farm, but I think every farming family has a few when there are children about."

  "I used to feed them whenever I came here. They were so cute. I'm glad I never believed Jayne when she used to tell me they'd end up on the dinner table."

  "You didn't know?"

  "No. Proper little townie I was. She used to tease me something rotten."

  "I bet! I had townie cousins who used to visit in the holidays, so I can imagine the stunts she pulled."

  Their tea was drunk and refilled as they laughed over childhood memories that whilst not shared, felt as though they were. It wasn't until he was laughing about the time Jayne convinced her that she'd got ringworm and all her hair would fall out that Leah wondered why Jayne was still not back and checked the time.

  "Crikey, we've been chatting for an hour. I hope you're not going to get in trouble with your boss?"