Chapter Seventeen
After class and with the children bundled off with Alex, Sylvie headed back to the farm thinking about how she was going to approach Tom.
This shouldn’t be so difficult, she was simply trying to have a conversation.
It was just that every time she had tried to have a serious chat with him since her mum’s death he would scuttle off like a beetle as a log was lifted.
On the upside, if he realized her plans this afternoon it was likely to make Julie’s day; after hiding out in the hay barn for a bit he’d probably be booking a month in Blackpool.
Her best approach was softly-softly; she needed to catch him unawares.
What if she were to make him a drink and take it down to the far field?
No, that would definitely warn him something was up.
She was better waiting at the house and catching him when he came in for his afternoon crib.
As a creature of habit, he was due back soon.
She parked the car and quickly checked her mother’s watch, now proudly on her own wrist. She had about half an hour and then he’d be back in the farmhouse, settling down for fifteen minutes with a cup of tea and a saffron bun.
She could whizz around and have a quick tidy-up, make the kitchen as sparkly as it could be without an entire battalion of cleaning staff and a lorryload of bleach.
Tom liked the house clean yet it never seemed to occur to him that he could possibly pick up a duster himself.
She was fairly sure Julie’s ability with the Flash and Shake’n’Vac was one of the things that had attracted Tom initially, although now Sylvie was fairly sure he loved her for considerably more.
She baked daily, for a start, and Tom was a sucker for the smell of fresh cakes and a neatly pressed apron.
True to form Tom turned up in the kitchen half an hour later and Sylvie cunningly slid a tray of fresh scones out of the range as he walked in.
‘That smells fair good, maid.’
‘Yeah, I made a batch for Sam, you know how much he likes them. He’s going to be sad when Ellie goes home. And I figured you wouldn’t mind one or two.’
‘She’s a cracker that one, isn’t she? Natural with the cows as well.
Did you know she told me her name wasn’t just Ellie but Elechi or something like that and where she comes from cows are money and people steal them.
She says I should keep an eye out for thieves because our cows have very pretty faces.
She does make me chuckle. Now I don’t know much about Africa or if she just has a grand imagination but she was certainly keen. ’
‘Hmm, she is quite a character, that’s for sure. And very good for Sam, she’s bringing him right out of himself.’
‘Aye.
‘Seeing as they’re ready, do you want a scone with your tea, Tom?’
‘Aye. That would be nice, maid. Thank you. Kitchen’s looking grand. You had a tidy-up?’
‘Yes, Sam has gone off with Ellie for a couple of hours so I thought I’d make the most of a little bit of free time at the weekend. Here you go, let me just grab the cream and jam. I wanted to talk to you anyway, I’ve got some good news and of course I want to hear all about Dartmouth.’
‘Dartmouth was fine. What news?’ Tom looked a little suspicious, but then suspicious was his resting face.
‘Well, I’ve been offered a job at the school and I’ve said yes. It’s only short-term at the moment but you know what these places are like, once you’ve got your foot in the door then more and more opportunities come your way.’
‘That is good news, bit more money coming in.’
‘Right. Plus the headmistress has offered me use of the school hall so I can get my ballet classes up and running in Penmenna. So with any luck I’ll be able to save like mad and try and find somewhere in the village for me and Sam.’
‘Aye.’
‘And then you and Julie could maybe, you know…’
Tom looked up from his scone and fixed her with a look.
‘Aye.’
‘So you’re fine with me looking for a place and us going fairly soon?’
‘That depends.’
For goodness’ sake! It would be easier to pull her teeth out with the rusty pliers she had found on the kitchen table during her quick clean-up than it would to get a simple answer from her uncle.
‘Depends on what, Tom?’ She gave him her most patient smile.
‘Well, maid, I ain’t got any money. So regardless of what anyone says I can’t be helping you move and I ain’t got anywhere to move to meself – this has always been my home.’
‘Tom, I don’t know what you’re thinking but I’m not asking you for any money. I know the farm limps from one quarter to the next. This isn’t that. This is me asking if you’d be all right without me and Sam here.’
‘Yep.’
‘That’s fine then, that’s all I needed to know.’
‘And you don’t want money?’
‘No, why on earth would I?’
‘Well, the will like.’
And suddenly it all fell into place. Tom was avoiding talking to her because he thought she wanted to discuss the farm’s future.
Her mother had left her half of the farm to Sylvie and Sylvie had every intention of passing it on to Sam, she just hadn’t told Tom.
It hadn’t occurred to her that she’d need to.
‘Oh, Tom, did you think I wanted you to buy me out?’
‘I can’t do that. I can’t raise any more finance on the farm, maid.’
‘Of course you can’t. Tom, listen to me now, this is Lovage Farm.
It’s yours way more than mine, whatever the legal facts of the matter.
I am not asking you to buy me out. I am not asking if I can buy you out.
I want the farm as it is, as it’s always been.
This is Mum’s and yours and one day, I hope, Sam’s.
And who knows, you could have children and then it will be theirs and Sam’s. ’
Tom laughed then, a great big laugh straight up from the belly, his mouth open, showing two gaps where teeth should be. It took him a while before he could speak.
‘I ain’t having no children. Dear me, don’t be saying such things. Julie will out-and-out leave if she thinks I expect children.’
‘Would be a punch in the eye for medical science, that’s for sure.
Although I’m sure I read an article about some women giving birth in their fifties these days.
’ The colour drained from Tom’s face. ‘You could give it a shot, get yourselves both in the newspapers. The Cornish Guardian would probably want a full feature.’
Sylvie stopped and glanced across at her uncle.
‘Breathe, Tom, breathe. I was only teasing. Don’t make me have to do CPR in the kitchen. I was teasing. I don’t think Julie has any intention of getting pregnant.’
‘I don’t think that that is a subject to joke about, maid. I know attitudes are more relaxed these days, but oh my goodness, I think we’re well past that!’
‘I’m sorry. Will you move Julie in?’
‘What is it with you today? Not everyone wants to live in sin. I shall have to see.’
‘I don’t want you to be lonely, Tom, if Sam and I go, and we will be going at some point.’
‘Lonely? You mean I won’t have to be tripping over them damn blocks or needing nine different shampoos in the bathroom? I think I’ll manage.’
‘Huh, you’re a bad-tempered old bugger. I’ll miss you.’
‘Humpf. Then you need your head examining, maid. You’re not going anywhere today, are you?’
Tom stood out of the old low-slung chair and patted her shoulder as he walked past towards the open kitchen door. He turned as he got there and Sylvie looked up from the flagstones on the floor where she had fixed her gaze as she felt his eyes upon her.
‘Scones were good, maid.’