‘And if you can’t be careful, find a vicar!’ all three girls chanted together, and then burst out laughing, for it was a saying much favoured by Mrs Newton.
Tilly sobered up quickly, though. ‘Honestly though, we were only holding hands.’
‘Yes, and as Mrs Newton’s always saying, we all know wherethatleads,’ Grace told her loftily, and strode away with her hands in the pockets of her mustard breeches.
Tilly glanced at Caroline as they hurried after her. ‘Are you and Grace getting along better these days?’ she whispered.
‘Let’s just say, we’re not being good, but we are being careful,’ Caroline whispered back, though rather wishing they didn’t have to be quite so careful.
At the farm, Tilly peeled off to collect the pigswill bucket, and the other two continued up the track to the top field.
They paused at the final bend in the track, where they could hear the sea breaking against the cliffs ahead, and Caroline spotted a skylark high above in the bright blue sky. At least, she thought it must be a skylark. They could only see a dark dot against the sun. But the bird’s song was breathtaking.
‘Beautiful,’ Grace murmured as they stopped to listen. Warily, she checked the track towards the farmhouse, nestled in the distance, and then the empty fields around them, before her hand crept out and took Caroline’s. ‘Should be safe enough now. It’s just you and me out here.’
‘I don’t know why you get so worried,’ Caroline told her. ‘I’m sure Joe wouldn’t throw us out if he knew.’
‘But Violet might. She’s got a conservative mind, that one. Besides, she won’t be in a mood to put up with anything that feels dangerous right now,’ Grace said wisely.
They walked in silence for a while, holding hands, their shoulders brushing. ‘What do you mean?’ Caroline asked.
‘Well, she’s preggers.’
Caroline stopped dead, staring. ‘I beg your pardon?’
‘Mrs P … She’s expecting another baby.’
‘How can you know?’
Grace gave one of her rich, earthy laughs. ‘Bless you, Caro,you’re such an innocent. Why do you think she’s been filling out lately? Have you ever seen her eating more than her ration?’
‘That’s hardly proof.’
‘All right, then.’ Grace considered for a moment. ‘When I first came to the farm, I thought Violet didn’t know how to smile. She was always frowning and snapping at everyone. Now she’s all sweetness and light. She even offered me a second helping of pudding the other day, without me even asking for it. And poured cream on top as well. Love does that to people.’
‘Love makes you give people extra pudding and cream?’ Caroline demanded, incredulous.
‘Yes, because it puts you in a good mood. Makes you want to be generous and kind.’ Grace pulled Caroline close. Her smile was infectious. ‘It makes you want to do this …’ And she kissed Caroline on the lips.
Caroline closed her eyes, and listened to Grace’s heart beating against hers. Up above, the skylark sang divinely. Sheep baaed in the distance. A slight breeze off the sea stirred her hair.
‘See what I mean?’ Grace pulled back, smiling into her eyes.
Caroline sighed. ‘Yes, maybe I do.’
There was a slight noise in the distance, and Grace released her at once, striding on up the track without looking back.
Glancing over her shoulder, Caroline could see Joe in one of the lower fields, starting the tractor. Swiftly, she followed Grace uphill. ‘He won’t have seen us. He’s too far away.’
‘I know,’ Grace admitted. ‘But that was stupid of me. We need to be more careful.’
Reaching the top field, they climbed over the five-bar gate. The sheep that had arrived to replace livestock lost during the snows were grazing quietly in the sunshine. They seemed to have adjusted well to their new surroundings, despite having come all the way from South Devon where the winter had not been as devastating to farm stocks.
‘They seem happy enough up here,’ Grace muttered, studying the sheep. But she looked tense, hands once again in her pockets.
‘It’s not right,’ Caroline complained bitterly. ‘Why should old Mrs Newton get away with kissing her boyfriend in front of everyone, but we can’t even hold hands in the middle of nowhere?’
‘That’s just the way of the world,’ Grace said, though her eyes were miserable.
