Page 14 of Daydreams at the Farm on Muddypuddle Lane
Adam paused, his keys in his hand. ‘I’ve been for a walk.’ He jerked his head towards the track.
‘Oh, right. Did you go far?’
‘To the ruined farmhouse. I’d forgotten how lovely it is up there.’
‘You’re local, then?’
He nodded. ‘I live in the village. The outskirts, actually – above the old MOT garage on the road to Thornbury.’
‘Sorry, I’m not from around here.’
‘I guessed as much. Your sister’s only been at the farm a year, hasn’t she?’
‘Yes, she has,’ Dulcie said, walking across the yard. ‘There you are, Maisie! I wondered where you’d got to, then I heard voices. Hi, Adam.’ Dulcie sent him a questioning look.
‘I hope you don’t mind,’ he said, ‘but I’ve been for a walk.’
‘Not at all,’ Dulcie replied. ‘It’s a public right of way, and even if it wasn’t, you’re welcome to go for a stroll. I’m glad you’re here, so I can tell you in person that you’ve got the job. Are you still able to start next Monday?’
‘Absolutely.’ He was beaming and Maisie felt a rush of pleasure, before immediately tamping it down.
She wasn’t here to find a boyfriend – she’d had enough of those in the past. She was here to findherself.
Dulcie smiled back. ‘Brill. See you next week. Maisie, can you round up the chickens? It’ll be dark soon and I want them in their coop so we can eat dinner and settle down. Oh, and the goats need fetching in, too.’
Maisie watched her sister amble back to the house.
Adam hadn’t moved, but when Dulcie was out of sight, he jangled his keys.
‘I’d better go see to the goats,’ Maisie said. ‘Congratulations, by the way.’
‘Thanks. How are the twins doing?’
‘Which ones? We’ve got two sets now, and a single.’
‘You have been busy. I’ll need to pull my finger out and get that shed done.’
‘How long will it take?’
‘About a week, give or take. I’m not honestly sure, as I’ve never done this kind of thing before.’
Maisie was confused. ‘I thought installing equipment was your thing?’
‘Not really, although I can turn my hand to most things.’
‘So if you don’t play with pasteurisation units for a living, what do you do?’
‘This and that.’
‘You sound like a cowboy.’ Adam stiffened and Maisie guessed she had offended him. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded,’ she backtracked hastily. It was lucky that she wasn’t eyeing him up as a potential boyfriend,because after a comment like that she would have blown her chances.
‘That’s okay. Apology accepted.’ He hesitated and Maisie wondered what he was about to say.
Her surprise when he asked her out for a drink, was almost matched by the delight she felt when she accepted.
CHAPTER FOUR
‘I can’t speak for long, Mum, I’m getting ready to go to work.’
