Chapter 11
As Brodie neared Hollyhock Farm he felt his spirits lift at the thought of seeing Lettie again. Bethan had reminded him about visiting the farm and mentioned Lettie had been working there for almost a month. He was disappointed not to have bumped into her at the pub or in the village since her return but supposed she would be working very long hours helping her father, especially now that it was the busiest time of year with the harvesting of the Jersey Royals.
She really had got to him despite his determination not to let her. She was nothing like his ex, Tiffany. Then again few people were, he thought with relief. He pushed away all thoughts of Tiffany and focused on the lane, its long strands of grass slapping against his vehicle as he glided past the banks of wildflowers. It was a glorious afternoon, enriching his sense of happiness to be living back on this pretty island.
Turning into the farm driveway, Brodie saw farming machinery and workers busily collecting the precious buttery potatoes in a large field to his left, then spotted movement ahead. Someone was pushing a wheelbarrow out of the larger barn to the right of the yard. They disappeared past another smaller barn. He slowed slightly and, after parking, went to find Gareth Torel.
Brodie reached the entrance to the barn and looked around, but unable to see the farmer, called out to him. ‘Mr Torel, it’s Brodie Murray. I’ve come to give your goats their vaccination.’
‘Brodie.’ Gareth stepped out from behind one of the metal barriers holding a wide broom. ‘I’ll not be a moment.’
‘No rush,’ Brodie said, happy to wait. It was his final call of the day and he was in no rush to return to the practice.
Hearing footsteps and grumbling, he turned coming face to face with Lettie.
‘Oh, hi.’ She pushed the wheelbarrow, catching it on the side of the open door, and said something under her breath.
‘Hello.’ She didn’t seem very happy to see him, Brodie realised. She had a puce face and messy hair, which looked as if it had previously been held back in some sort of elastic band, and her dungarees were mucky especially around the knees where she must have knelt in cow manure. He doubted he would be very happy to be found in that state and wished he hadn’t arrived until a bit later.
‘There you are,’ Gareth bellowed. ‘I’ve cleared up the rest of it, so if you just give the flooring a go with the power wash then we’ll leave it at that.’
Gareth saw Lettie give a brief nod before passing him.
Aware he had arrived at an awkward time, Brodie tried to think of a way to remove himself briefly. He realised he hadn’t thought to bring his bag from the car and pointed over his shoulder. ‘I’ll just fetch my things,’ he said to anyone who was listening. As he walked back to his car, he wondered how long Lettie was going to keep working at the farm if she was to get in a state like this each day. She looked exhausted and had obviously taken a tumble into some of the manure. Would she start having second thoughts about what she had taken on? He hoped not. Even if there wasn’t anything romantic between them, he couldn’t help liking her. There was something about her that made him think of her even when she wasn’t around.
He retrieved his bag and went to go with Gareth to start the immunisation process. He hoped none of them had any unexpected issues. As much as he loved his work, he still struggled when people had to part with their beloved animals and, as much as he knew farming was a business, he had yet to meet a farmer who wasn’t devastated when they lost an animal.
‘They’re this way,’ Gareth said, striding out of the barn and pointing to the smaller barn nearby.
Brodie hurried to catch up with him.
They reached the pen where the goats were stabled and he waited for Gareth to fetch the first one for him. Brodie stroked the animal’s back. ‘Hello there,’ he soothed. ‘This won’t hurt at all.’
‘What’s the vaccine for?’
He heard the concern in Lettie’s voice. She must have followed them into the barn. He wasn’t surprised to know she was there, wanting to find out how their goats got on. ‘They need this for tetanus and Clostridium. It won’t hurt them. Only a slight pinch.’
‘That’s what doctors say when they’re about to inject you. You’ll only feel a little scratch, but it never really feels like that at all.’
‘Will you let Brodie get on with what he’s doing please, Letts?’
‘Sorry, Dad.’
Brodie quickly examined the first animal. She seemed perfectly healthy. He took hold of a small area of the goat’s skin from its neck between his thumb and forefinger and administered the injection. ‘There.’ He patted the little goat for it to move away. ‘Right, next one.’
He soon finished injecting them and once done heard Lettie give a grateful sigh. ‘That’s an enormous relief, isn’t it, Dad?’
Her father gave her a bemused look. ‘This is all perfectly normal and nothing to worry about, Lettie lovey.’
Brodie was happy there hadn’t been any drama. He waited for Lettie to move the animals into another pen and followed her and Gareth back outside to the yard.
‘Do you want to come in for a cuppa, Brodie?’ Gareth asked.
Brodie would have loved to but he hadn’t missed the look of, what – Shock? Disappointment? – on Lottie’s face at her father’s question. He wasn’t sure but it hurt to think that she didn’t want him to hang around now that his work was done. He also had no intention of outstaying his welcome.
‘No thanks. Not today. Maybe another time.’
Lettie gave a tight smile. ‘Thanks for looking after the goats so well.’
‘It was simple enough, I’m glad to say.’ He took his keys from his trouser pocket. ‘Right, I’d better be going. I’ll see you soon.’
As he drove away, Brodie couldn’t help wondering what he might have done to cause the almost unfriendly reaction from Lettie. As far as he was aware he hadn’t said or done anything to offend her. Had he?