Page 32 of Daydreams at the Farm on Muddypuddle Lane
However, it would also mean putting his plans of potentially purchasing Dulcie’s derelict farmhouse on hold, but something else would come up sooner or later. He didn’t have to put all his eggs in that particular basket.
Adam decided not to mention any of this to either Maisie or his parents just yet. He would wait to see if Maisie was able to persuade Dulcie to let her stay first. That would be his preferred option, because it meant they could carry on as they were and not force their relationship into a direction it wasn’t ready to go in just yet.
But despite not wanting to rush things, he was acutely aware that Maisie had crept into his heart and had taken up residence there. For the first time in his life, Adam Haines suspected he might be in love.
The next few days sped past. Maisie was so busy, she didn’t have a minute to herself, although she did manage to fit in a few more dates with Adam, and she felt that they were growing closer. So close, that it wouldn’t be long before they made love.
Gosh, she was blushing just thinking about it. She had almost given in to her desire on a couple of occasions, but she’d held back, scared of making the commitment, realising that once she gave herself to him completely, her heart would be well and truly lost.
She hadn’t spoken to Dulcie yet about the possibility of staying on the farm indefinitely, so that was also preying on her mind. The timing hadn’t seemed right, so whilst she waited, she made herself as useful as she possibly could. And so far, itappeared to be working. Dulcie hadn’t said anything, but Maisie could see that her sister was relieved to have the routine jobs around the farm done without having to ask, freeing her up to do things such as soap making and organising the Easter Fayre.
Making soap was what Dulcie and Maisie were doing when the farm’s landline phone rang in the hall that afternoon, and Dulcie made a face. She was in the kitchen, mixing cubes of frozen goats milk with a lye solution, and the disturbance wasn’t welcome.
‘Can you see who that is?’ she asked Maisie, and Maisie hastily removed the rubber gloves and safety goggles she was wearing (lye was horrid stuff!) and went to answer it.
‘Dulcie?’ Beth shouted.
‘Hi, Mum, it’s Maisie.’
‘Is Dulcie there?’
‘She is, but she’s up to her elbows making soap. Can I help?’
‘No, I just wanted to ask— On second thoughts, it doesn’t matter.’ And with that, her mum ended the call.
‘Who was that?’ Dulcie asked when she returned to the kitchen.
‘Mum. She said she wanted to ask you something then she hung up.’
‘Strange. I dare say she’ll call back if it’s important. She’s probably got a bee in her bonnet about the woman next door again.’
‘I try to ignore it,’ Maisie said. ‘They’ve been feuding ever since her neighbours moved in.’
‘Talking about moving, I’m surprised Mum hasn’t thought about renting somewhere smaller,’ Dulcie said, echoing what Maisie had said to Adam a few days ago.
Now’s my chance,she thought, but as she was considering the best way to phrase things, a small red car chugged into the yard.
‘Who is that?’ asked Dulcie, peering out of the window through her safety goggles. ‘Thank goodness I’ve almost finished. I’ve just got to pour it into the mould and— Good grief, is thatMum?’
Maisie couldn’t believe her eyes either. Their mother was clambering out of the driver’s side of the car in a ratherungainly fashion. Her face was almost as red as its paintwork, and her lips were pressed into a thin line.
‘What isshedoing here?’ Dulcie demanded. ‘I thought you’d just spoken to her?’
‘I did.’
‘Did you know she was coming?’
Maisie shook her head vehemently. ‘Absolutely not.’
They watched Beth stomp across the yard, then turned to each other with wide, disbelieving eyes as the door to the utility room opened.
‘Dulcie? Dulcie! I need a hand with—’ Beth stopped when she caught sight of her middle daughter. ‘What the hell are you wearing?’
‘Safety goggles.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I’m making soap. Mum, what are you doing here?’
