Chapter 35
He was crouching down cuddling Derek and doing his best to soothe the poor dog when Spud raced into the house closely followed by Lettie. She stood in front of the sink dripping. ‘It’s still raining heavily outside, then?’
She grinned. ‘Just a bit.’
‘Spud OK?’
‘He is now. I think he was frightened by Derek’s fear and it made him panic. He’s not usually bothered by storms and mostly sleeps through them.’ She looked down at him now making circles in his bed before plonking himself down and closing his eyes. ‘I think he’s fine now though.’
‘Good. I’d hate for him to be upset like this one.’
‘If you want to try giving them both a treat, there’s a choice in that cupboard over there.’ She indicated a cupboard to the right of him. ‘I’m just going upstairs to change quickly and will bring down more towels.’ She stopped at the doorway and turned. ‘Would you like me to find some of Zac’s clothes for you to change into? The trousers might be a bit short on you, but at least they’ll be drier than what you’re wearing.’
He thought about her offer and nodded. ‘That would be great. Thanks.’
He walked over to the cupboard and opened it. Spud was on his feet behind him almost instantly – clearly knew where his treats were kept. Brodie looked in each of the four tubs and discovered one containing gravy bones, and others with chews, bone-shaped biscuits and another small, rounded treat that he wasn’t sure he’d seen before. He picked up two gravy bones for each dog, clipped the lids closed and shut the door.
‘Here you go,’ he said giving Spud the first treat before turning and trying to entice Derek to take one. He wasn’t persuaded until he watched Spud wolf down his second treat, and then took both from Brodie’s fingers in rapid succession. Relieved the dog’s appetite hadn’t completely vanished, he stood, filled the kettle and then plugged it in. From the little he knew about Lettie she seemed to like her tea and seeing her soaked only moments before he presumed that she would want one soon.
She was back within a few minutes, her hair towel-dried and tied back and an armful of towels and some clothes. He watched her place the clothes on the back of one of the kitchen chairs. ‘The downstairs loo is the first on the left along the hall.’ She looked down at Derek. ‘He seems a bit calmer now, thankfully.’
‘He is.’ He stroked the dog’s head, relieved to note that his trembling had subsided a lot. ‘I think the treats helped. Two gravy bones each.’
He saw her smile and wanted to kiss her again.
‘Are you all right?’ she asked, looking unsure, and he hoped he hadn’t been wearing a goofy expression on his face when he had been staring at her.
‘Sorry, I was thinking.’
‘I know, it’s upsetting when an animal is frightened. It’s the worst thing in the world – apart from them being injured, I mean.’
She had misunderstood him but not wishing to correct her, Brodie stood and picked up one of the towels and the spare clothes. ‘Down the hall to the right, did you say?’
She laughed. ‘No, to the left. But you can change in my father’s study if you’d prefer. It’s not as if he’ll be back anytime soon to catch you in there.’
‘I’ll keep to the loo, I think.’ Brodie glanced at Derek, now settling down next to Spud. ‘I won’t be long.’
‘You’ve put the kettle on, I see,’ she said taking two mugs from the hooks under the cupboard near her. ‘I’ll make us a hot drink while you change.’
When Brodie rejoined her in the kitchen he stopped at the sink to look out of the window at the sky, his attention diverted from Lettie at a loud roar and the sky lighting up. ‘It doesn’t look like this is going to abate any time soon.’
‘No, it doesn’t.’ She pushed a mug of steaming coffee across the table towards him. ‘At least the dogs seem to have settled down now and we’re inside. I suppose we’ll just have to sit it out here.’
He studied her face and hoped that what he saw in her eyes was happiness that he felt, knowing they had this unexpected time together. Alone. He felt his determination not to become involved with her wither away.
‘I’m happy to do that.’ He took a seat at the end of the table closest to her, yet so that he was facing her better than if he had sat on the chair next to her. He had noticed the dark circles under her eyes and the stiffness in her shoulders and wondered if the farm was getting too much for her. He decided to try and find out by asking a few indirect questions to encourage her to open up to him.
‘Do you ever feel lonely here now that your family are all away?’
She gave his question some thought then shook her head. ‘Not really. A little, I suppose, but more that I’ve missed my parents sometimes. I had expected to feel lonely but having Spud here and the chickens and goats means that I always have someone to talk to, cuddle and keep me company if I need them to.’
Brodie took a sip of his coffee, realising it was too hot to drink yet. He watched her, thinking he would rather she felt comfortable enough with him to go to him for any cuddles but doubted they were close enough for him to mention her doing so. He realised she was staring at him. ‘What is it?’ He hoped he didn’t have any coffee on his lips and wiped a finger across them to make certain.
‘I’m glad we chose today to take our walk.’
‘Even though it was cut short so suddenly?’
She nodded. ‘I’d much rather be with you right now than anyone else.’
His breath caught in his throat at her unexpected sentiment. ‘You would?’
‘Yes.’
He saw her cheeks flush slightly and, leaning forward, willed her to return his kiss – only just able to hide his delight when she instinctively did so. It was a brief kiss, but no less special for it. Brodie smiled. ‘I’m so glad we met.’
‘When?’ She grinned, a mischievous smile on her lips and he knew she was about to tease him.
‘I’m not sure what you mean.’
Lettie’s eyes narrowed and she seemed uncertain about something. ‘Well, are you glad we met when we were younger, at the school disco?’
‘School disco?’
He studied her face as something in his memory stirred. Then it dawned on him where he remembered her from and his mouth dropped open. ‘That was you?’ He was confused. ‘But it can’t be. I only ever recall kissing someone called…’ He searched his memory for the name. It was something unusual. ‘Violet! That’s right, her name was Violet.’ He winced. ‘Sorry, I know it sounds bad but I don’t remember us kissing back then.’
Lettie threw her head back and laughed, confusing him. ‘That was me though.’
He didn’t understand. ‘It can’t have been. I told you her name was…’
‘Violet. Yes, you said. And,’ she said blushing, ‘that’s actually my name.’
What?Brodie frowned. ‘Sorry, you’ve lost me.’
‘Vi-oh-let? Lettie?’
‘Ah, I see.’ He realised his mouth was hanging open so closed it. He recalled only too well how much he’d fancied Violet Torel and agonised over his missed opportunity for years. ‘That was you? But you must wonder why I never called you when I said I would.’
A cloud passed over her face. ‘Something like that.’ She stared at him thoughtfully. ‘Do you remember why that was?’
He sensed she had been disappointed, although couldn’t help being glad he had made an impression on her, albeit the wrong one. ‘What a young fool I must have been. I owe you a date.’
She laughed. ‘Yes, you do.’
He took her hand in his. ‘I’m so sorry, Lettie. I wanted to call you, I really did.’
‘And you didn’t because…?’
He thought back to that tall, athletic boy he had been and the crippling shyness he had taken years to finally overcome. ‘I was going to, but I was too shy. I know it probably sounds ridiculous, but I hadn’t had a girlfriend before and I liked you so much. The thought of taking you out and disappointing you terrified me.’
She didn’t look convinced. ‘So you just did nothing?’
He shrugged. ‘I know. Pathetic, isn’t it. To think I had the opportunity to get to know you years ago and didn’t do anything about it. All I can say in my defence is that I was an awkward teenager with zero confidence.’
Her expression softened.
‘Me too, so I’ll forgive you.’
They stared at each, one hand holding their mug handles while holding each other’s hand with the other. This girl was special. She was everything he had ever wanted in a partner: kind, intelligent, very pretty in a fresh-faced way that he loved. He adored that she enjoyed the company of her animals just as he did. He also admired her for having the guts to leave her old life behind to take on a farm with little experience.
He leant forward, wanting to try and make it up to her for letting her down all those years before. ‘Lettie, I?—’
A deafening crack of lightning made them both jump out of their seats, spilling their drinks as they leapt to their feet.
‘Ouch.’ Lettie winced shaking hot coffee from the back of her hand.
‘Here.’ He took her wrist and pulled her to the sink, holding her hand under the cold tap and turning on the water as they both then stood and stared outside.
‘Do you think it hit something nearby?’
It certainly sounded like it, Brodie thought. He heard the tremble in her voice. ‘I’m not sure. Lightning strikes hit the highest point. Are there any trees behind the house that might have been hit?’
‘Many.’ Lettie gasped. ‘There’s the metal weathervane on top of the bell tower over the large barn. It was used back in the day by my grandad calling farmworkers in from the field. Mum used it to call Zac, me and our cousins Adam and Damon in from playing in the woods when we should be in for supper.’
Bell tower? He hadn’t noticed it. ‘That’s probably it.’ He was anxious that the lightning strike might have caused some damage and didn’t want Lettie to be the one to find it. The noise had been so loud the house had shaken.
‘You stay here with the dogs while I go and check everything from the outside.’
‘Please be careful.’
He leant forward and kissed her forehead. ‘I will. You keep a lookout at the front and that hand under the running cold water.’
He left the room and ran down the hallway. Reaching a back door, he unlocked it and opened it, standing under a porch to survey the vicinity. The trees at the end of the garden and all around them seemed untouched, so he ran outside and when he was far enough away to look back and see most of the farmhouse roof he turned and looked up at it. No smoke, or any damage that he could see. It was a massive relief.
He was about to return to the house when something caught his eye to the left. It was smoke and coming from the side or front of the house. ‘Fire?’ He didn’t waste time thinking but not wishing to leave Lettie and the dogs somewhere potentially dangerous ran back to the house and through to join her in the kitchen.
‘You saw the smoke,’ he said when he saw she was dragging her coat up over one arm as she pushed her right foot hurriedly into one of her boots.
‘What are you doing?’ Brodie took hold of her arm, not wishing her to do anything reckless.
‘Didn’t you see it? There’s smoke out there and I think it’s coming from the barn. The animals…’ She burst into tears and tugged her arm from his hold. ‘I have to get to them and let them out.’
Without waiting to hear more, Brodie ran outside closely followed by Lettie.
‘No, Spud, you stay inside with Derek.’
He heard her shouting instructions to the dogs before slamming the front door. Brodie raced across the yard. His heel connected with a sharp stone reminding him that he was barefoot. Uncaring that his feet were bare, he kept going. He looked up to see the smoke was coming not from the bigger barn that he had assumed Lettie was referring to, but the smaller one next to it. Smoke was now billowing through what he assumed might be a hole in the roof.
His first thought was to get whatever animals might be in there to safety. He would worry about rounding them up later when any immediate danger to them had passed. He heard a noise behind him and realised Lettie was sobbing.
‘Hurry, Brodie, please hurry. Fire service please,’ he heard her say relieved that she was calling the emergency services.
He reached the door and yanked it open. ‘What’s in here?’
‘Five, no six goats. Um, four elderly cows that Dad couldn’t bear parting with,’ she explained as she went to run past him. ‘The alpacas are in the other barn, so they’re fine.’
Brodie grabbed her arm. ‘No. Please let me go in.’
‘They’re my animals.’ She tried to shrug his hand from her.
‘Lettie, like it or not, I’m stronger than you. Let me do this.’
‘Fine.’ She didn’t look happy, but he was relieved she had seen sense.
Brodie counted the goats as they poured out of the building and waited a moment for the cows to follow. When they didn’t, Brodie covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve and ran into the burning building. His eyes stung from the smoke and in one corner he saw the ominous orange glow of spreading flames. Where were they?
‘Look to the left near the back,’ he heard her shout from the doorway.
Hearing Lettie’s instructions he changed course and reached the first cow within a few seconds. ‘Come along,’ he urged grabbing hold of the cow’s horn and pulling the animal towards the door relieved when the other three followed. As soon as they saw Lettie just inside, the animals ran towards her.
‘Well done,’ Lettie sobbed flinging her arms around him as he tried desperately to take in fresh air. She let go and apologised. ‘Are you all right?’
Unable to speak for a moment he raised a hand as he coughed.
‘That was so brave of you.’
He didn’t have the breath to argue with her. Bravery had nothing to do with him going into the barn; all he could think about was rescuing the trapped animals. And he had. The relief weakened his knees and he lowered himself to the ground to sit.
What was he doing? He pushed himself to his feet and looked around for a hosepipe. Seeing Lettie pulling one towards the barn he ran to turn on the tap then returned to her.
‘Do you have another one?’
‘Yes, but it’s around the back.’
‘That’s fine, I’ll turn it on to the rear of the building.’
‘The fire service shouldn’t be long,’ she said just before the sound of several sirens emerged from the rain.
It was raining. The thought calmed him slightly. He couldn’t bear to think that the fire might spread to the other barn and heaven forbid to the farmhouse itself.
The large red fire truck raced down the driveway and within moments several firefighters leapt out.
The first one raised a hand in acknowledgement. ‘Joe?’
Brodie heard Lettie’s question and turned to see Joe looking just like someone Tiffany might have mooned over in one of the romantic films she enjoyed watching. Joe raced over to her and hugged her before reassuring her and helping his workmates extinguish the fire in the barn, while two of them ran off to check the larger barn next door.
‘Did you see Joe’s here,’ she said looking delighted, not taking her eyes off the man.
‘I thought it was him,’ he fibbed wishing Joe didn’t look so heroic in all his kit. Brodie pushed away his shock, determined to show his gratitude for their speedy arrival.
‘Brodie, hi.’ Joe strode over to Brodie, his gloved hand outstretched. ‘I gather from Lettie that you’re the hero of the hour here.’
Brodie hid his surprise and shook his head. ‘I only did what anyone else would do.’
‘That’s not true. What you did was brave, although could have been dangerous. I understand why you ran in to rescue the animals and I’m glad there were no casualties.’
Feeling awkward and not wishing to seem like a jealous boyfriend, Brodie excused himself, wanting to leave Lettie alone to speak to Joe. It was her farm after all and Joe was the expert when it came to firefighting.
Another clap of thunder reminded him of the dogs alone in the house. ‘I’d better go and check on the dogs, but thanks for getting here so fast, Joe.’
‘No problem at all, Brodie. It’s what we aim to do.’
Several hours later with the fire extinguished Brodie kept himself busy checking on the animals who seemed a bit calmer but still anxious after their traumatic evening while Joe spoke to Lettie about the damage. He wasn’t sure if he should leave her in peace, aware that she must be completely exhausted, but decided to wait and check how she was doing first.
With, the fire engines having left and the storm ended, Brodie helped Lettie finish settling the cows and goats into two of the small paddocks. ‘How are you doing?’ he asked gently.
Lettie kept her eyes on the goats in front of her and he suspected she was crying.
‘Lettie? Are you OK?’
She sniffed. ‘I don’t think I can do this, Brodie,’ she sobbed, her shoulders slumping as she gripped hold of the top of the five-bar gate.
Brodie walked up behind her and put his arms around her. ‘You can.’
‘You don’t know that,’ she said between sobs. ‘It’s all so overwhelming and much harder than I expected. And I’m so tired. All of the time.’
‘You’re already doing it, Lettie.’ Taking her by the shoulder he turned her to face him, pulling her into a hug. ‘And you’re not alone. Don’t forget that.’
‘Aren’t I?’
‘No.’ He thought of Joe and Zac. ‘You’ve got me. And your brother. And there’s Joe. Look how quickly he came here earlier.’
She sighed. ‘It’s his job to put out fires, Brodie.’
‘I know, but I saw him talking to you afterwards and I know that he has your best interests at heart.’ It was difficult to admit as much, but Joe clearly cared for her and as much as he loved Lettie the most important thing to him was that she knew others were there for her, whoever they might be.
‘I’m glad you were here,’ she sniffed. ‘Thank you.’
‘I’ll be here for as long as you want me to be.’
She looked up at him. ‘Do you promise?’
He nodded. ‘I do. Now, I don’t want any more talk about being alone. Everyone wants you to succeed and we’re all here to help make sure that happens.’
She hugged him tightly. ‘Thanks, Brodie, I needed to hear that.’ She gave a shuddering sigh against his chest. ‘I think I’m in some sort of shock because I feel almost numb.’
‘That’s not at all surprising,’ he reassured her, aware how shocked he still felt after the dramatic evening.
‘I think they’ll be happier out here tonight,’ she said closing the gate and standing with her arms folded across her chest. ‘I checked the forecast and the storm has moved away now and it doesn’t look as if there’s more to come, thankfully.’ She smiled at him. ‘I don’t know about you but I need a stiff drink after I’ve had a shower.’
‘That sounds good to me.’ Assuming this was his cue to leave, Brodie ruffled Derek’s head. ‘Come along, boy, let’s leave Lettie and Spud to relax.’
‘Oh, I didn’t mean for you to go,’ she said. ‘You’re welcome to shower here, if you like.’
He much preferred the thought of spending more of the evening with Lettie. ‘I’d like that.’
They fed the dogs and she showed him the way to the bathroom. ‘I’ll fetch you more clothes and some towels.’
He stripped off and stepped into the shower, closing the curtain and turning on the warm water. It felt good to be clean again. He closed his eyes allowing the water to run over his head and body, surprised to hear Lettie’s voice.
‘May I join you?’
Surprised, but not wanting to miss another opportunity like he had done after the school disco or allowing himself time to overthink her question, he pulled back the curtain. ‘I’d like that very much.’