Jules slowed down and swerved to avoid a particularly bad pothole.
‘I’m sure you can, but Rita asked me to leave the car at the farm.’
Tasha shrugged. The redbrick farm with tall sash windows and a yellow rose growing up the front of the house appeared on the left.
‘Any idea where I should put it?’ Jules asked.
Tasha’s hand was already on the handle ready to leap out, even though they were still moving.
‘We usually park the cars in the yard at the back.’
She pointed further down the track, past the house.
‘Can you give these keys to Rita?’ Jules asked, when she’d positioned the jeep in what seemed to be a sensible place out of the way.
Tasha took them and slid out, striding towards a back door flanked by tubs of brightly coloured geraniums. Jules stood by the side of the car for a moment and watched her before turning to head back up the track.
‘Thanks for the ride,’ Tasha called.
‘It’s okay,’ Jules called back, barely turning her head as she carried on walking.
‘And for not snitching on me yesterday.’
She slowed. A tribe of sparrows flew out of the hedge to her right. She could feel their wings stirring the warm air.
‘Do you want a cup of tea?’
‘Not rea…’
‘Everybody’s out. It feels a bit weird when there’s nobody here.’
Jules stopped and looked back. In the half shadow of the house Tasha looked vulnerable and unsure of herself. She sighed and unclenched her hands, which she realised had been balled into tight little fists, before retracing her steps.
‘A cold drink would be good.’
Tasha’s whole demeanour softened.
‘Granny’s usually got some homemade lemon barley in the fridge.’
‘That sounds delicious.’
The kitchen was large and square with a dresser in the centre of one wall crammed with random pieces of pottery. The kitchen cupboards were painted sunshine yellow, a pile of magazines formed a tower next to one of the large leather chairs in the big bay window, and gleaming copper pans created a higgledy-piggledy line on a shelf above the range. Tasha took a couple of tall glasses from a glass-fronted cupboard and placed them on the table.
‘You can sit down if you like,’ she said.
Jules pulled out a chair as Tasha lifted a large glass jug from the fridge. She took a long spoon from a drawer and gave the cloudy liquid a good stir before carefully filling the glasses, making sure they each got a slice of lemon.
‘That’s very good,’ Jules said, taking a sip.
‘There’ll be cake if you want a piece.’
Jules put up her hand.
‘Not for me. I’ve already had some.’
Tasha sat down opposite her.
‘Sorry I was rude. I’m sure you didn’t want to break into your holiday to pick me up.’
