Page 17 of Daydreams at the Farm on Muddypuddle Lane
‘Not really. She began working there after I’d knocked horse riding on the head.’
‘Why did you stop?’
‘It wasn’t for me. I was more interested in the tractors than the ponies.’
‘When you saidthis and that...?’
‘If it’s got an engine, I’ll give it a go.’
‘So you’re a mechanic?’
‘Not as such. I don’t just repair vehicles – I like any kind of machines, from a diesel engine to a lathe.’
‘Or a pasteurisation unit,’ Maisie chuckled. ‘How does it work?’ Dulcie had explained how goats were milked, and that unlike dairy cows and their calves, baby goats could stay with their mothers and continue to suckle, so Dulcie would still get the milk she needed.
Maisie was fascinated by the whole process, up to and including the products that Dulcie intended to make out of it, and she couldn’t wait to give soap-making a go. She couldn’t wait to milk her first goat, either. She had a romantic vision of sitting on a low three-leggedstool with her head against the goat’s flank as creamy milk squirted into a shiny metal pail.
Unfortunately, Adam’s description of the milking process, which involved things like vacuum pumps and regulators, blew her vision to smithereens.
‘You’ve done your research,’ she observed.
‘Did Dulcie send you to test me? Are you going to hold up a scorecard or give me marks out of a hundred?’
‘I might, if I knew more than you. I haven’t got a clue how you use one of those things.’
‘You’ll soon get the hang of it.’ He sounded confident.
Maisie wishedshewas: not because she didn’t think she could operate it, but because she wasn’t sure she would still be here when it was ready to use. Dulcie hadn’t indicated that she wanted Maisie to leave, but Mum’s comments yesterday had sunk their hooks into her and weren’t letting go. Was she in danger of outstaying her welcome?
Pushing the worry aside, Maisie made a conscious effort to enjoy this evening. This was the first time she had been off the farm for fun since she’d arrived. All the other times had been for work.
‘Have you lived in Picklewick all your life?’ she asked, keen to get to know Adam better.
‘Kind of. My parents’ house is about two miles outside the village. How about you?’
‘Birmingham.’
‘Do you miss it?’
‘I’ve only been here just over a week.’
He looked surprised. ‘I assumed you were a permanent fixture.’
‘I’d like to be.’ Her reply was wistful. She knew she wouldn’t be able to stay on the farm forever, but she wasn’t ready to go back home just yet. And that was mostly because of the goats. She simply adored being around them.
‘What do you do – aside from delivering baby goats?’ he asked.
‘I didn’t deliver them, if you remember. Cloud did that all by herself.’
‘You supervised,’ he said. He was regarding her expectantly.
‘This and that,’ she replied, a twinkle in her eye.
‘Cowgirl?’
Maisie chuckled. ‘That’s probably one of the few jobs Ihaven’ttried.’ He arched his brows, so she continued, somewhat defensively, ‘I haven’t decided what I want to be when I grow up.’
‘Goat herder?’
