‘Tea lights,’ corrected Issi. ‘Knowing what a fussy-knickers you are about lighting, I put some in my bag. When I found all the teacups in a cupboard, I put them together. Good day?’
‘It’s gorgeous! So cosy and pretty. Daunting day – got lost coming home but I’ll tell you later. But I can knock the fireplace out! Although not now, obviously.’
‘You asked Aunt Amy?’ Issi was surprised.
‘Not specifically but she said I could do anything to the house as long as I looked after her cows.’ Fran collapsed in one of the armchairs drawn up next to the fire and started tugging at the heel of aboot.‘I am so tired. I think it was meeting people and having so much information fired at me.’ She looked around. ‘It looks far better in here now. Thank you.’ Then she frowned. ‘Oh, why did you keep that dreadful painting up?’
‘Because it hides a patch of wall that really needs redecorating and if you do one bit you’d have to do the whole lot.’
Fran nodded. ‘Fair enough. Apart from that, you’ve made it looked great.’
‘Well, I needed something to do and you gave me permission to play.’ Issi paused. ‘Although the changes haven’t been approved by everyone.’
‘What do you mean?’ Fran pulled off the other boot. ‘Who else has seen them?’
‘You’ve had a caller. Mrs Brown. She’s coming back tomorrow morning. She used to look after Aunt Amy a bit before she had to go into the home. She seems to know everything about the farm. She looked around with one eyebrow raised, obviously disapproving like mad. I reassured her that everything is still safe. I haven’t burnt the nests of tables and whatnots and all the other clutter, but she seemed a bit put out.’
‘Where have you put all the stuff?’
‘There’s a little room at the end of the house. It had quite a lot of things in it already so I just stacked more bits on top. I don’t think you’ll need that room. It’s quite a big house, really.’
‘Amazing.Is there wine?’ The extent of her potential inheritance wasn’t a top priority just at that moment.
Issi nodded, very pleased with herself. ‘There’s wine and there’s dinner. I asked your visitor how to light the range and she showed me. Then I put in the lasagne you brought.’
‘Sorry,’ said Fran. ‘Lasagne is a bit like moussaka but I wanted to bring food that was easy to heat up and didn’t need saucepans.’
‘I can’t believe you haven’t brought your pans and things.’
‘I brought my knives but I didn’t want to bring everything I owned. I’ve left a lot of stuff in my parents’ garage.’ Fran closed her eyes. ‘I’ve got a lot to tell you but not until I’ve had something strong to drink.’
‘It’s still teatime really,’ Issi objected.
Fran shook her head. ‘No. It’s dark. Winetime. At least, today it is.’
‘I’ll get it. Do you want your dinner early, too?’
‘Yes please, Mummy …’
Fran felt revived when she had eaten and was ready to elaborate on how she had got on. ‘I feel a bit confused. Both the solicitor, and Amy – she asked me to call her that – told me a lot but left out a lot too. The solicitor said there’s a thousand pounds for me to use and although there is more money, it has to be kept for Amy’s care.’
‘Iknow care homes can be expensive,’ said Issi.
‘But I don’t need to worry about that for six months because Amy’s paid for that long. She’s thought it all out. And there’s the herdsman, who looks after the scary cows. She’s paid him, too – and his relief milkers.’
‘And if they’re not scary?’
‘It should all be fine!’
But Fran knew their cheerfulness was a little false. She may not be able to do this at all.
‘I really want this to work,’ she said. ‘I’ve left my job and packed up my life to come here, and although I could go back I’d always wonder if I could have made a go of it. Very few people get chances like this. I can’t waste the opportunity. It’s my chance to make something of my life.’
ChapterTwo
Fran awoke early, aware that it was raining. Not a good beginning for her first proper day as a farmer but then she remembered that Mrs Brown was due to call, giving Fran the perfect excuse not to go out and meet the cows. She had to bake if she had a visitor.
‘So no cows this morning, Is,’ said Fran, crunching toast. ‘I’ll have to bake instead. Do you think Mrs Brown likes flapjack?’
