Читать книгу Summer with the Country Village Vet - Zara Stoneley, Zara Stoneley - Страница 10

‘We don’t normally take on temporary staff, but we’re in rather a difficult situation, and you do seem ideal for the job. We need somebody who will fit in, and I’m sure I speak for everybody else when I say I think you’ll slot right into life at Langtry Meadows Primary School.’ Timothy Parry, the head teacher looked round the table for confirmation.

A bearded governor leant forward – his forearms on the desk and an earnest expression on his face – then suddenly smiled, showing a chipped tooth. ‘The children loved you. Always a good sign, that is.’

Lucy wasn’t sure ‘loved’ was the right word. Her second worst nightmare scenario (after being sacked) had to be a lesson where a child turned out his pocket to reveal an astoundingly large amount of soil and worms. The child in question, a chubby farmer’s son called Ted with bright blue eyes and a pudding-bowl haircut had then tried to present her with the longest worm he had, ‘to match her long hair.’ He’d stretched it out so that it dangled ever closer to her head. Assuring him that the other applicants would be devastated if she accepted, she’d persuaded him to deposit the wriggling but rapidly drying out creature into a jar, for release into the wild at break-time.

‘I’m Jim Stafford. I’ve seen more interviews than you’ve had hot dinners my dear, and I’m telling you, you’re spot on.’ The governor leaned forward even further and tapped the back of her hand, dropping his voice to a conspiratorial level. ‘Ted Wright’s father used to be the Head of Governors and he takes it very much to heart does our Edward if anybody upsets his little Teddy.’

Ahh, so that explained that one. Diplomatic relationships with parents was an essential part of the job that unfortunately had been barely touched on during her teacher training, and she’d had to learn fast.

Timothy coughed, politely regaining control. ‘Edward would normally be here himself, but I’m afraid he had other commitments.’

‘Sheep.’ Jim tapped the side of his nose knowingly.

‘Sheep?’

‘Lambing time love.’ He nodded wisely. ‘Busy time is spring.’

‘A masterstroke to slip in the animal welfare implications, as well as showing such equanimity to your fellow applicants.’ A thin, well-dressed woman with her hair scraped back into a severe bun chipped in, steering them back onto the matter at hand. Lucy had a vague idea that she’d been introduced as the former deputy-head, ‘now retired, but very active in the community’. ‘One of our interviewees abandoned his post after Daisy produced a frog from her pocket.’ There was a disapproving tut lurking just behind the thin lips. ‘What does he expect in the countryside? Honestly!’

The nearest to wildlife Lucy had seen in the classroom at her previous school had been head lice, at least frogs didn’t make her want to scratch her head in sympathy – which the sight of nits always had.

The interview with the school council, the pupils, had been the most astounding part of this whole process. At all her previous interviews, the children had asked well-thought out (and no doubt prompted) questions about positive reinforcement and community spirit – the children at this school had been more interested in her reaction to frogs, whether she agreed with Alice’s dad that ‘those buggers sat behind desks had no right to tell him when he could cut the sodding hedges’, and what she thought about the country pong in the air following the liberal slurry spraying over the weekend.

It had taken all of Lucy’s self-control to stay in her seat, and to resist putting a peg on her nose. She was not a country girl; she didn’t like mess, unpleasant smells, or any kind of large livestock in the immediate vicinity. She really had never ever considered when hedges were cut (but maybe the ‘buggers’ had the bird’s welfare at heart?) and she really did wonder what she was letting herself in for. But now that she’d got over the initial shock of being cast back to her childhood, and been able to rationalise that it wasn’t the same after all, she’d been able to admit to herself that the village was really the most gorgeous place. Ideal for a week’s chilling out kind of holiday, but what working here would be like could be a different matter altogether.

Except it was simple. She was saving her house, her future. She had to concentrate on that. This was a short term solution, for a few weeks cover. It would be good for her, help her lay some ghosts to rest, and then she was sure something more suitable would turn up. All would be well. She’d be back on track.

‘Oh no, what a shame.’ She dredged a weak smile up, thinking herself lucky that she’d only had to cope with worms, and tried to remember which one Daisy was.

‘That lass is just like her dad.’ Jim chuckled. ‘I remember when he brought his ferret in to school, took it out in the middle of the 11 plus exam. Teacher was as calm as you like, whisked it away and stuck it in a cardboard box. Shame of it was that the bugger had eaten his way out by the time we’d finished, whole school had to join in the search.’

Quoting health and safety rules probably wasn’t the right response. ‘Well children will be children.’ She crossed her fingers under the desk, hoping that if she got this job neither frog nor ferret would find its way into her classroom.

Luckily the head teacher shuffled the papers on his desk and coughed, to regain control of the meeting. ‘They certainly will. Well I’m sure I speak for everybody when I say we’d be delighted if you could start as soon as possible, Miss Jacobs, or may we call you Lucy?’ He was totally unlike any of the head teachers she’d come across in the city: older, kinder, owner of a bow-tie, a very well-worn tweed jacket with actual elbow patches the likes of which she had only ever seen on TV before, and he hadn’t mentioned account balancing or issued a single rule about the use of blu-tac or staple guns. And she was pretty sure that the only type of metal-detector would be the handheld type for use on the school field, in search of ancient coins rather than knives and knuckle dusters. ‘Your references are excellent, and I really feel you could bring new vitality to our little school whilst maintaining a positive and kind outlook. Now we mentioned to the agency the first day of next term, after the Spring break. Would that suit? Does that give you time? Monday is a teacher training day, so we quite understand if you can’t start until Tuesday.’

Relief flooded through Lucy, who hadn’t realised quite how tense she’d been. It would mean she’d only been jobless for a half-term, and so far she’d been able to juggle her finances without eating too deeply into the redundancy money.

‘The first day of term sounds excellent, Monday is fine, and please do call me Lucy. I’ll have to find somewhere to stay though.’ She frowned, that bit did concern her. From what she’d seen it was a fairly small village and she hadn’t spotted a single ‘Room for Rent’ or even a ‘To Let’ sign. ‘I need to look for a small hotel,’ she cringed inwardly as she said the words, ‘or see if there are any rooms to let.’ She really did need somewhere impossibly cheap or she’d be struggling to pay her mortgage and buy food as well. Bye bye fruit smoothies and hello boil in the pot noodles.

‘Ahh yes, you live well out of our area don’t you? We’re honoured you chose our school Lucy, it’s not many teachers will uproot themselves, and don’t worry about finding a place to stay. I’m sure we can help, Jim?’

‘I know just the place.’

She looked at the governor in surprise. ‘You do?’

‘I do. Come on, you gather your stuff up love,’ relieved of his governor’s role Jim relaxed visibly and his careful diction was replaced with a gruff rumble, ‘and I’ll take you to meet my sister Annie.’

‘Oh,’ the head held his hand up, ‘do introduce Lucy to Charlie Davenport if you see him, her first challenge can be persuading that young man to come in and chat to the children. He’s been surprisingly adept at avoiding me,’ he winked at her, ‘you, my dear, can be our secret weapon.’

***

Annie was as round and cuddly as Jim was tall and stringy, had a mass of greying curls held back by two clips adorned with big red flowers, and was wearing a flowery t-shirt that seemed to be fighting a losing battle to keep her bosom under control. She was sitting behind the counter in the village post-office-cum-general-store, filling in a Sudoku puzzle which appeared to have more crossing-outs than numbers.

‘Well now isn’t this a nice surprise. I was just thinking there’d been a mass evacuation and nobody had told me.’ She gave Jim a hug and smiled at Lucy.

‘Annie, this is Miss Jacobs, Lucy. She’s filling in for little Becky and,’ Jim paused theatrically, ‘looking for somewhere to stay.’

‘Oh my goodness,’ Annie clapped her hands together and beamed as though she’d just found out she’d picked the winning numbers in the lottery, ‘now isn’t that a stroke of luck? Chocolate éclair or egg custard, love?’ She pointed at the display of cakes. ‘There’ll be a new lot in tomorrow so these need eating up. Sit down, sit down. I’ll make us a nice cup of tea and we can have a chat, been run off my feet I have.’

Jim rolled his eyes and gestured to Lucy to sit down on one of the stools behind the counter. ‘Annie is off to the Caribbean, not that I understand why.’

‘Well you wouldn’t, would you Jim? He’s a real home bird is my brother, about as adventurous as a goldfish in a bowl aren’t you love?’ She passed Lucy a mug of tea, and put her own on the counter so that she could concentrate on her cake which was oozing cream faster than she could scoop it up. ‘Well love,’ she patted Lucy’s knee with her free hand, ‘me and my husband have always wanted to go travelling, and we promised ourselves that once the kids finished university we’d be off. So we are.’ She smiled, a broad beam of a smile. ‘I’ve been looking for somebody to look after the house and not had any luck up until now, and all the tickets are booked and everything. It’s my last day behind this counter, then we’ve a few days of packing and Bob’s your uncle.’

At least, Lucy thought, as she tackled her egg custard, she wasn’t expected to speak.

‘We’re planning a year away, although it could be longer if I get my way, how long will you be here, duck?’

‘Oh I’m sorry. I’m only planning on the half term, it’s only a temporary position.’ Lucy tried not to spit out pastry crumbs. ‘In fact,’ she wasn’t quite sure what to say with Jim the governor listening in, ‘I do love my own home and I’m hoping a local job comes up soon.’

There was a bit of a splutter from Jim’s direction.

‘But Langtry Meadows is wonderful,’ she added hastily.

‘I reckon you won’t want to leave once you get to know the kids.’ Lucy watched transfixed as half the cake disappeared into Jim’s mouth, and was swallowed in an instant. ‘They’re a grand bunch, and the village isn’t bad either.’ He looked pointedly at his sister. ‘Even if some people do have some strange notions. So, that’s settled then, you’ll move into our Annie’s house and look after things?’

Things? That seemed a strange way of putting it.

‘Well if that’s okay, I mean I suppose you do really want somebody longer term? And er, how much is the rent, it’s just…’

‘Oh no that sounds splendid, we won’t be charging much rent love because it really is a big relief off our minds knowing everything will be looked after properly.’

Everything?

‘It was quite a worry at first, wondering how we’d manage because I’m not really into rehoming, and then Jim here came up with the idea of house-sitting. Not a total dollop are you love?’ she grinned affectionately at her brother, who looked quite pleased with himself. ‘And now you’ve come up trumps again, finding young Lucy for us. You stay as long as you want my dear, and don’t you worry about what you can afford, we’ll work something out.’

‘Sorry, rehoming? House-sitting? I thought you were renting out…’

‘Oh yes love, don’t you worry. The house is all yours. There’s a bit of a condition attached though, which is why we’re only asking for you to settle the bills and keep on top of the garden.’

She could do gardens, no problem at all.

‘We need you to look after the animals, but I can tell that won’t be a problem to somebody so organised, you look so efficient dear, and a school teacher is perfect. If you can cope with those kids, then my lot will be a walk in the park. More tea?’

Lucy put her hand over the top of the mug. ‘I’m sorry, you’ve lost me. I’ve no problem at all with a bit of gardening, I’m more than happy to do that and pay the bills, keep everywhere tidy, but animals?’ She’d never even had time to look after a hamster, let alone ‘animals’ whatever that meant.

‘Oh, didn’t our Jim explain?’ She tutted at her brother. ‘There’s the cat, Tigger, then we’ve got a few chucks, they’re no trouble at all, and Pork-Chop the pig of course.’

Of course. And what the hell were ‘chucks’?

‘He does like a bit of company and a walk round the green now and then but he’s no bother at all if he’s got his harness on, oh and little Mischief.’

‘Mischief?’

‘The pony, love, I mean once the kids outgrew him we couldn’t just sell him could we? Is that it Jim?’ She frowned, doing a mental check of her menagerie. ‘Oh and Gertie, silly goose me,’ she guffawed at her own joke, ‘how could I forget her? Right then, I’m so glad that’s settled, a weight off my mind.’ She licked cream off her finger. ‘I’d take you up there and show you round, but I can’t get away until 5pm. Jim can take you for a quick shifty, can’t you, dear?’

‘I certainly can, and our dear headmaster asked if I could introduce her to young Charlie, let her try out her skills of persuasion, so we can pop in there too.’

Annie chuckled, a rolling sound that seemed to come from the very centre of her. ‘He’s not daft our Timothy. Good luck with that then dear, I’m sure you stand more chance than all those other old codgers, though I think he even managed to duck out when they sent Jill. Always did have a stubborn streak in him, that one.’

‘I’m sorry, who is this Charlie, and why do I have to talk to him?’ Lucy looked from Annie to her brother Jim. It was all very well being labelled the headmaster’s ‘secret weapon’, but so far she hadn’t a clue who this man, that she was supposed to be persuading to come into school, was. Maybe he was a famous author, an artist, a great and shy inventor?

‘Charlie Davenport.’ Annie nodded as though that said it all.

‘The new veterinary surgeon.’ Jim chipped in.

‘Well you say new love, but he’s no stranger is he?’ She smiled at Lucy, ‘Charlie grew up here in Langtry Meadows, lovely little kid he was, bright as a button and cheeky with it. His dad used to be a partner in the practice, then he took early retirement and they moved away. Lovely to see young Charlie back again,’ she paused, ‘although he doesn’t seem that sure himself, if you know what I mean.’

Lucy wasn’t sure she did.

‘Old Eric has always come into school once a year without fail to give the kids a bit of a talk and they love it, but this fella’s been a bit elusive.’ Jim carried on as though he hadn’t been interrupted.

‘Eric?’

‘Aye, Eric. He’s the vet that runs the place but he had a bit of a mishap so Charlie’s helping out. He’s a nice enough chap, but tricky to pin down, so we’re relying on you and,’ he coughed, ‘your ahem feminine wiles if I’m allowed to say that in this day and age.’

Lucy stared, not quite sure what she should say, and Annie recognising the look of panic changed tack before her house-sitter had a chance to scarper. ‘Well now, look at us chattering away and not letting you get a word in. So, what’s a wonderful young lady like you doing looking for a new job? I’m surprised anybody would let you go.’

‘I’ve been made redundant actually.’ It was the first time she’d said the words out loud. She’d purposefully skated round the issue when talking to her mother, but now it didn’t seem quite such a terrible admission.

‘Oh the fools, I can tell just by looking that you’re a wonderful teacher. You’ve got a way with you, hasn’t she Jim?’

‘You aren’t wrong Annie. She has. Kids loved her, and even Liz Potts couldn’t find fault.’

‘Well if Liz can’t find anything to complain about then that says it all.’ Annie seemed to take that as conclusive proof, and it gave Lucy a desperately needed boost. Up until now she’d thought of herself as fairly self-confident, but the whole business at Starbaston School had knocked her more than she’d dare admit even to herself.

‘I did love it at my old school, it wasn’t easy but it was very satisfying. It was put in special measures by Ofsted just before I was taken on, and we all worked so hard to turn it around.’

‘I’m sure you did, dear.’

‘We put new plans in place, and worked to make the classrooms brighter. When the Ofsted inspector came back she was amazed at the transformation.’ Lucy didn’t like to boast, but she’d been proud of what they’d achieved with hard work and the way all the staff had pulled together after a few changes. ‘She said she’d never seen such a turn-around in such a short space of time. It was worth all the late evenings at school, and all the weekends we spent putting together a new strategy and lesson plans that took into account the capabilities of all the children. I mean, they’re such a mixed bunch and it’s really important we do our best for all of them, isn’t it?’

‘Now I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, lovey.’ Annie was looking at her in a disturbingly measured way. She put down her mug of tea. ‘But it sounds to me like you’ve been taking it all a bit too seriously, a girl your age needs to lighten up and have a bit of fun.’ She held up a hand to still Lucy’s objections. ‘There’s more to life than spending evenings in a classroom. Now I can tell you love your job, but nobody on their deathbed ever said they wished they’d spent more time at work, did they?’

Lucy stared at her. Maybe it did sound all a bit boring, and work, work, work. But that was just how it was. Annie looked back, her gaze never wavering.

‘Well you won’t, will you sis?’ Jim broke the uncomfortable silence.

‘I certainly won’t, it’s all about balance.’ She put her hands on the counter and levered herself up. ‘Ahh well, no rest for the wicked. Lovely to meet you Lucy, now Jim’ll have all your details won’t he? What with him being a governor and all, I’ll sort out the keys with him and then you can move in the weekend before you start, can’t you? We’ll be gone before you get here, but don’t you go worrying about that,’ Lucy hadn’t been about to, ‘we’ll sort something out. Such a shame you’re not staying for longer, love, but beggars can’t be choosers can they? Now what did I do with that newspaper?’

Annie’s cottage was a few minutes’ walk from the school and as different to Lucy’s modern, new-build semi-detached house as was possible.

Where she had an immaculately tended front lawn and moss-free block paved driveway, this was a riotous array of spring colour – plants competing for space as they tumbled over each other (and the narrow uneven cobbled path) in disarray. Her fingers itched for pruning shears and a ball of string, but she had the feeling that taming this front garden would be like maintaining the Forth Bridge.

Lucy forced her gaze beyond the garden, to the cottage that lay in its midst. From a distance it had looked picture perfect, but now they were closer she could see that the paint was flaking from the window frames and the thatch was looking rather old-man thin in places. It still looked incredibly sweet though, despite the fact that she was sure there would be draughts from the single glazed window and no doubt inside it would be a higgledy-piggledy mess that was nothing like the tidy order she loved. She could imagine the flowery and cracked mismatched pottery, and the worn chairs that no doubt showed traces of cat hair. But a change was always as good as a rest, and looking on the bright side it really could be quite an idyllic spot if the sun shone.

‘Think it will suit then?’

‘It’s lovely, Jim.’

He grinned, showing off the chipped crooked tooth.

‘Shall we go in and…?’ She reached for the gate latch and had only opened it a fraction when an enormous white bird came hurtling round the corner of the house. ‘Bloody hell.’ Slamming it shut she jumped back, nearly colliding with Jim.

‘That’ll be Gertie.’ He nodded.

The bird flapped its wings indignantly sending flower petals in all directions and stuck a bright orange, sharply pointed beak in their direction.

‘Gertie?’ She was pretty sure she’d gone nearly as pale as the bird which had fixed her with a very black, beady glare.

‘Aye. Gertie the goose.’ Jim had barely flinched. He tapped his watch pointedly. ‘I’d show you round, but I’ve got business to attend to.’

Hmm she bet he had.

‘All you need to do is wear our Annie’s boots for a few days and little Gertie will be putty in your hands. Imprinted on those she is.’

Little? In what world could you describe this goose as little? ‘Imprinted?’

‘Aye, imprinted.’ He looked at her as though she was an underachieving student. ‘First thing it saw when it hatched was those bloody bright pink wellingtons that our Annie likes to parade about in, poor bugger thinks they’re its mother.’ He guffawed and Lucy felt herself drawn to this big, friendly man, who the moment he’d left the school had dropped his governor’s hat (and voice) and become Annie’s brother with a slight country burr. ‘Well now, you can meet the rest of the menagerie when you move in if that’s okay with you? Annie will leave full instructions and I’m always on hand if you need me. Well, I’ll love you and leave you if that’s alright?’

‘Of course, yes, I’m sure you have things to do. It’s very kind of you to show me round, and I’ll see you when I move in then?’

‘My pleasure, Lucy. Oh, and you’ve got the vets practically next door,’ he pointed over her shoulder. ‘Old Eric had himself a bit of a run in with some cows and he’s laid up for a while, but our Charlie seems to be shaping up well enough, chip off the old block. His dad was a good man, popular. The lad’s a bit of a dark horse these days mind, keeps himself to himself,’ Lucy thought that could be a problem for anybody here, ‘but I’m sure you’ll soon win him over,’ he winked, it was the second wink of the day which was a bit worrying, ‘you’ll be getting plenty of opportunity.’

‘I will?’

‘Oh aye, our Annie is always in and out, I reckon she keeps that practice going. Although since our Charlie came back I’ve heard from Sal that bookings have soared.’

‘Really?’ She didn’t know what to say to that.

‘Just like his dad, he is. You’ll see.’ He tapped the side of his nose and chuckled in a most un-Jim like way, reminding her of Annie. ‘So any problems he’s on the doorstep, though I’m sure you’ll cope. Now would you credit it,’ he paused, and it seemed he’d completely forgotten that he was in a hurry, ‘there’s the man himself. No time like the present, let’s introduce you to Charlie and you can ask him to do that school visit.’

Before Lucy had a chance to object, Jim had her elbow and was guiding her down the lane and across the small car park that fronted the veterinary surgery.

Protruding from the boot of a hatchback car was a very long pair of legs encased in brown trousers, and what she had to admit was quite a trim rear. Not that she was looking.

Jim coughed loudly, and Charlie straightened abruptly, banging his head with a clunk on the tailgate, which trembled, rose up then bounced back down giving him another wallop for good measure. Lucy flinched. He swore. Not in the loud, clutching-her-head way she would have done, but in a much more teeth-clenched, restrained manner.

He backed out slowly, then he straightened up and she knew before he’d even turned round. How could she not recognise that arse?

It was him.

A pair of brown, familiar eyes stared straight into hers. Definitely him.

His hand instinctively went up to the side of his head, just as she wrapped her own hand round the wrist she’d used to whack him. Well not used to whack him. That suggested intent, and she’d never intended anything. It hadn’t even been self-defence, her brain had barely registered she was under attack until she’d been in his arms. She gulped. Clutched against his firm body.

‘You!’

He didn’t sound pleased. Not that she could blame him, knock ’em dead wasn’t supposed to mean literally, and so far it was looking like she’d been aiming to give him concussion. And she hadn’t been trying to knock-him dead in any sense actually.

Not that he wasn’t attractive. Very. To the point that she’d nearly snogged him. Oh God. The heat rushed to her face. She had to say something. Stop gawping.

‘You’re not, you can’t be…’ This could not be Charlie Davenport, the vet. The man she was going to be seeing a lot of. The man she’d gyrated against in full view of the rest of the village (well anybody who might have strayed onto the green, or been peeping round net curtains) before they’d even been introduced. The man Jim wanted her to use her feminine wiles against. Wiles she was pretty sure she didn’t possess. Not that she’d ever use them in that way.

This was bad. This was embarrassing. This explained a lot.

He was the village heart-throb. If he made a habit of rugby-tackling every woman he came across it was no bloody wonder. No, that wasn’t fair. He’d been saving her.

‘Charlie,’ Jim butted into her thoughts, probably a good thing, ‘let me introduce our new teacher, Lucy. Lucy Jacobs. And Lucy this is Charlie Davenport.’ He frowned, looking from one to the other of them, obviously realising at last that she hadn’t been struck dumb by his awesomeness, there was more to it than that. ‘Have you already met then? I thought you said…’

‘Not really, well yes, well we’ve not been introduced.’ This wasn’t going well. ‘I didn’t know this was Charlie, he er, rescued me earlier today.’

Jim chuckled and she stared at the ground, hoping a handy chasm would open up and she’d fall in. It didn’t so she risked glancing back up. ‘Told you he was popular, rescued you my foot.’ He obviously thought this was hilarious. ‘What did you do then lad? Sweep the young lass off her feet? Not that I’d blame you. I’d have done the same myself a few years ago.’

This was getting worse by the second. And she’d accepted a job here. She had to be mad.

‘I didn’t really do anything.’ She watched mesmerised as Charlie threaded long fingers through his dark curly hair and tentatively rubbed the spot that had been in collision with his car. ‘That horse of Holly’s bolted again, and, er Lucy was in their path. I just nudged her out of the way.’

Their gazes met, a slight quirk of humour tugged at the corner of his mouth. The feel of his solid, warm hand at her waist seemed to be imprinted into her body. She could feel it now, smell the smoky, earthiness of his scent. It was almost intimate. She folded her arms around her body to stop the shiver of awareness, then realised she was being defensive and dropped them to her sides. Stared at his left ear, which was much safer than looking into his eyes or at that sexy mouth.

‘Ah, thought I heard a bit of a clattering through the square earlier on, them cobbles don’t half ring when she belts over them.’ Jim smiled broadly. ‘Well you two will be seeing a lot more of each other, I’m sure.’

Charlie looked warily from Lucy to Jim, then back again. ‘Nice, to erm meet you properly, Lucy. Welcome to Langtry Meadows.’ He held out a hand, there was the briefest touch of warm fingers then it was back safely in his pocket. ‘Sorry Jim, but I’m in rather a hu—’

‘Now then, not so fast lad, our Lucy has a favour to ask, haven’t you Lucy?’ Jim prodded her in the ribs. She’d always thought she was pretty direct, but Jim would beat her hands down any day.

‘Well I’m sure it can wait if Mr Davenport is busy.’

‘No time like the present, if you don’t mind me saying.’ Jim folded his arms as though he was here for as long as it took, then jerked his head in Charlie’s direction. ‘Go on, ask him, lass.’

She did mind him saying. But it seemed rude to say so, and there really wasn’t any harm in sorting it out here and now. That would be something to tick of the list, even if it was a minor accomplishment. ‘We can discuss it properly when I’ve moved in, but, well we, I, well I understand the practice sends somebody in to the school to chat to the children at this time of year.’

‘And?’ He was looking at her blankly.

‘Well, if we could arrange a day?’

He frowned.

‘Early next term? For you to come…’

‘Oh, no.’ He held a hand up, a barrier between them, and if she hadn’t been so aware of him she wouldn’t have noticed the slight tremble. He shoved the hand back in his pocket. ‘Sorry, that’s Eric’s domain, I’m afraid I—’

‘Oh well fine, we can wait…’

‘They look forward to it.’ Jim rubbed his beard and gave the vet his ‘governor’s look’.

‘I’m sure as soon as Eric returns to work…’

‘Aye, I’m sure he will, he’s a generous man is Eric.’ He gave the vet a pointed look. ‘But Spring’s the time we like to do it, and,’ his eyes narrowed, ‘after Easter, I’m sure your old man would expect you to do the right thing.’

Charlie’s lips tightened, along with his jaw and Lucy was pretty sure he was gritting his teeth to stop himself saying anything. He folded his arms. Showdown in the car park, maybe this wasn’t going to be such a minor accomplishment after all.

She would have quite liked to have told Jim to be quiet. ‘Maybe if you leave us to chat?’

‘Ah, yes.’ He grinned and winked. ‘Whatever you say, I’ll leave you two youngsters to it then.’

The heat rushed to Lucy’s face, and she was just about to launch into an explanation when the vet held up a hand.

‘Look I am sorry, but before you start, the answer is no.’ He glanced at his watch pointedly. ‘I’ve got an emergency call to tend to.’

‘We could walk and talk?’ She was curious as much as anything, he’d recovered now but his reaction had been weird to say the least.

‘I’m driving.’ Obviously. He threw his bag into the back of the car and closed the door firmly. ‘Nothing personal. Nice to meet you, I hope you enjoy it at the school, Miss er.’

‘It’s just that Jim, well the school, well I, well we just wanted you to spare an hour to talk to a group of kids?’ He was opening the driver’s door, any minute now he’d be driving off. ‘Please, could we at least have a chat about it?’ She wasn’t quite sure why it was so important to the school, or why it was such a problem to the vet, but she at least had to try. Failing at the first task she’d been given wasn’t a good start. And he’d looked shocked, mildly horrified, at the thought of going into school, which seemed off when he appeared so level-headed and adrenaline-free. Bolting horses seemed to be a daily hazard, so why would a group of kids pose such a threat?

‘This really is a matter of life and death.’ His tone was firm, she could quite imagine him using it when a dog was misbehaving. Before she could say another word he’d started up the car engine, and was easing the door shut so that she had to skip out of the way, or get squashed. For a second his gaze met hers through the glass, and she sensed a genuine regret, then he put the car into gear and looked away.

Jim sidled up as the vet’s car, and her opportunity to fulfil her first task, slipped away.

‘Ah well, I told you he was a tricky one, slippery as an eel, but I’m sure you’ll sort it.’ He winked. ‘A woman with your resources.’

‘But he really doesn’t seem to—’

‘You’ll talk him round.’

She wasn’t sure she wanted to talk him round, his response had been so genuine it almost seemed wrong to ask. ‘Isn’t there anybody else? Another vet?’ If the man didn’t want to do it then surely there was somebody else who could do it?

‘Only the one in the next village, and we won’t be asking him now, will we?’

‘We won’t?’ Oh God, even Jim was showing a steely side, another stubborn male.

‘Over my dead body, and those of most of the other governor’s.’ He rubbed his hands together as though that settled the matter. ‘We’re relying on you my dear. Right, I better not keep you, got a fair drive haven’t you?’

Lucy nodded. Hoping the journey home would be less eventful than the one here. At least she was heading back knowing she had a job, even if it was only for a few weeks.

‘I’m sure you’ll love it here, fit right in you will.’ He smiled and just as she was putting her hand out to shake, he clapped both hands on her upper arms which she guessed was one step down from a hug.

She watched him stride off down the lane, then gazed back at the cottage that was going to be her temporary home.

It would be a long drive back. In fact her home seemed on a different planet to this little village.

***

She deserved a celebratory glass of wine. Even if it was a temporary, very unsuitable, job. Lucy closed her front door, kicked her shoes off and headed straight for the kitchen and the chilled bottle of Pinot Grigio that was calling her name.

Sitting down at the kitchen table, she pulled her laptop from her bag.

It only took a couple of minutes to write an email to the agency, confirming that she had been offered the position, that it was for a half term only, and that she’d be looking for something more local (and ideally a permanent position) if possible when she completed the contract. The out-of-office reply, stating the hours the agency were open pinged straight back into her inbox.

Then she sent a text to Sarah telling her she’d got the job, that there were no phwoar farmers, just a very grumpy vet that was more Doc Martin than James Herriot (Sarah didn’t need to know about the nearly-kiss or the mesmerising eyes), a headmaster who actually seemed to like children, and chickens.

Lucy headed upstairs. She’d have a nice shower first, then pour herself that drink. The job might not be her dream position, but it did mean that she had money to pay the mortgage. With the low rent that Annie was asking for, and the higher salary as it was a short-term contract, with luck she’d even be able to put some money aside in her savings account. And it might actually be quite pleasant spending a few weeks in the lovely little village – quite a change from the hustle and bustle she was used to in the much larger school.

The children had all seemed bright and inquisitive, and the classes were small so she wouldn’t miss having a dedicated classroom assistant. It was going to be so much fun. A little shiver ran down her spine as the excitement she’d been fighting kicked in. She couldn’t wait. Even the goose would be an interesting challenge, she just had a horrible feeling that her immaculate clothes would need throwing away when she got back to civilisation. Cat hairs were notoriously difficult to remove, and she just knew the animal smell would linger on.

She switched off the shower and wrapped her hair up in a towel.

There was just one more thing she had to do though before she started to plan her move. And now she had at least got work lined up she could put a positive spin on this.

Wine glass in hand she picked up her mobile.

‘Mum, I’ve got a new job.’

‘Oh how lovely.’ There was a pause. ‘But I thought you loved the one you had, darling?’

‘There’s been a re-organisation, but this one’s in a gorgeous village school.’

‘Village?’

‘It’s sweet.’

‘And it’s not too far to drive each day? You work such long hours as it is, without a long journey on top of it.’

‘Well no, I mean yes, it is too far to drive. I’m going to rent a place there for now. It’s only for a while, and I’ve found a lovely cottage where the owner has pets she needs looking after so the rent is really reasonable.’

‘So you’ve got your own house and a place to rent? Can you afford that dear?’

She could almost see her mum’s worried frown. ‘Yes Mum, it’s just short term.’

‘But I thought you were too busy to have a pet, darling? And didn’t you say you liked keeping the house neat and tidy? When I came over with your Aunt Steph you made her tie Bono to a tree at the bottom of the garden.’

Lucy rolled her eyes as the memory of Bono, a very shaggy bearded collie who’d just been for an unscheduled dip in the canal, came to mind. ‘I had just bought a new cream carpet, Mum.’

‘That’s the trouble with these modern plain carpets, you need a pattern dear, hides a multitude of sins.’

Maybe that’s what her busy job had done, hidden the cracks in her life, but she didn’t want to ponder on that one. What was the point? ‘I like plain.’ Keep it simple. ‘Anyway, this job will be different, I don’t need to commute.’

‘And I hope you won’t need to be working those long hours any more. When I was your age…’

Lucy gritted her teeth, but some part of the retort she was biting back must have escaped and travelled over the airwaves. Her mum might not have worked long hours at her age, but she’d made up for it later on in life. Surely it was better to put all the effort in now? To be independent and secure.

‘Well yes I suppose times have changed.’ She could imagine her mother’s pursed lips. ‘But you work too hard, being a teacher used to be a nice job for a girl and now it’s all rushing round and paperwork. I always wanted an easier life for you, love.’

‘All jobs are like that, it’s about accountability.’ And Ofsted.

‘Well that is nice anyway dear,’ she could tell her mother was about to brush over that. ‘It’ll be nice for you to get out of the city for a bit. You did have fun when you were little in Stoneyvale, do you remember?’

‘It was horrible. I hated it.’ The words were out before she could stop them.

‘Oh, Lucy.’ Lucy felt a pang of guilt at the regret in her mother’s voice. ‘You didn’t hate it. There were some good times, I used to love our time feeding the ducks, and picking you up from school. It was a pretty place, even if life wasn’t quite as perfect as I’d hoped.’ She sighed. ‘You were such a happy toddler.’

‘Yeah, and then I grew up.’ And life had been turned upside down, and all her friends turned out to be nasty, small-minded people who only cared about themselves.

‘It wasn’t all bad, Lucy.’

‘Mum, I didn’t belong there, I didn’t have any friends.’

‘Oh you did, darling. It was just, after your party when your father got a bit cross I think some of their parents thought it better if they didn’t come round to play. He just didn’t like…’

‘The mess, yeah I know.’ She’d blocked that party out of her mind. Dad had been so cross to come home and find sticky finger marks on the table, and cake crumbs on the sofa. He hadn’t shouted like some of the other dads did, he’d just laid the law down very softly. Even as a child she’d sensed the slight menace, the uncomfortable air as her mother had wiped her tears and shooed her up to her room. She hadn’t thought about it before, but that was probably when it had all started to go wrong. When children stopped coming round to play in their garden. When all the party invites started to dry up.

‘He never really wanted me to have people round, did he?’

‘Well no,’ there was a crackle and silence, and she wasn’t sure if it was a bad line. She hated silence, silence at home had always meant bad things, so she’d grown up wanting what some people would think of as chaos.

‘Mum, are you still there?’

‘I am. But you still had friends, didn’t you dear?’ There was a hopeful note to her mother’s tone which she didn’t want to kill. So she didn’t say anything. ‘You saw the others at school. There was lovely little Amy, and…’

‘Exactly.’ She sighed. ‘Just lovely little Amy, and even that was an act.’

‘Lucy, it wasn’t you, your dad…’

‘Forget it, Mum. I have. Langtry Meadows isn’t Stoneyvale, and I’m only there for a few weeks, I like working in the city.’ She did. It was less claustrophobic, more impersonal. Where people came and went, where nobody was an outsider.

‘Anyway,’ her mother’s voice regained its normal no-nonsense brisk edge, the ‘let’s make the most of life’ tone. ‘A bit of country air will do you good, you’ve been looking a bit peaky lately. A change is as good as a rest, as they say.’

Lucy chatted to her mum for a bit longer then pressed the end call button and stared at her phone, suddenly wishing that she hadn’t told her mum to forget it.

She hadn’t, she couldn’t.

There were questions that had peeked their heads over the self-protective barrier she’d built around herself as she’d driven home. Questions about her dad she’d never dared ask. Questions that the absolute peace and quiet of Langtry Meadows had poked out of their slumber at the back of her mind. Questions about the almost obsessive tidiness that her father had insisted on.

It hadn’t hit her until today just how different their new life had been. As though her mum had been determined to wipe every last trace of Stoneyvale out of her system.

But maybe it was time she tried to move on. To shift the ache that had settled in the centre of her chest once and for all.