‘Oh no. I’m just going to make sure she gets the measure of me before she dies. Nice for her to knowtheman who’s going to take up burden of the old farm.’
‘I can’t believe we’re having this conversation,’ Fran muttered, finding coffee and spooning it into the cafetière.
‘We go in for plain speaking where I come from,’ he said. ‘We don’t pussyfoot around.’
‘So where will you stay? Will you rent a cottage or something?’
‘Oh, I’m staying here. You’re here; I should be here too.’
Fran suddenly needed to sit down, but as she had a boiling kettle in her hand she couldn’t. ‘But I’m looking after the farm—’
‘I probably know more about farming than you do.’
Fran poured water on to the coffee and then found milk, put some into a jug and put it in the microwave. She wasn’t going to panic; she was going to take her time, breathe, and give the impression she was in control.
‘So why the sudden interest in the farm?’ she asked. ‘Amy told me you didn’t reply to her letter.’
‘I didn’t know what a nice little property it was. At least the site is good. When I inherit it, I’ll knock down this place and put up a few houses in its place.’
‘I’m not sure you’d get planning permission to do that, and it would break Amy’s heart.’
‘She’llbe dead by then, sweetheart.’
‘She may not leave the property to you.’
‘Oh, I think she will. I’m a farmer, and my connection to her is closer than yours is. That’ll be important to her.’ He smiled. ‘I’m a man, you see. And to women of her generation, that counts. And I’m a much better farmer than you will ever be.’
‘But Amy ran this farm pretty successfully for years. On her own. And she’s a woman.’ Fran felt breathless with indignation.
‘Did she, though?’
Fran poured coffee and got the milk out which she put it in her own mug before offering it to him. She didn’t respond to this question. Instead she asked what she really wanted to know. ‘How did you find out it was a “nice little property”, as you put it?’
He shrugged and gave a smile which was almost a sneer. ‘Let’s just say, a little bird told me.’
‘Who?’
It was definitely a sneer this time. ‘Wouldn’t you like to know?’
Fran sensed he wanted to go on teasing her with this so she changed the subject.
‘Well, I’m afraid you can’t stay here. I have a friend living with me. There isn’t the space.’
‘A man friend, or a woman friend?’
‘Why do you want to know?’
He shrugged. ‘It makes a difference. If it’s a man friend presumably you share a bedroom. If it’s awoman,you’ll have to tell her to leave. I’m going to live here and I’ve as much right to as you have.’
Fran thought rapidly. There were actually a couple of unused bedrooms. But did she really have to have this man in the house?’
‘I’m not sure Amy would approve of you living here with me. She’s quite old-fashioned.’
‘I don’t know why you think that. After all, she’d prefer me being here than you running around with the enemy.’
‘What do you mean?’ Although Fran thought she knew. She was also fairly sure who’d tracked him down and suggested to him it was worth his while to come over.
‘The neighbour.’
