‘She won’t,’ Ada said. She glanced at Hallie, who blushed.
‘All right,’ Alison said heavily. ‘What aren’t you telling me?’
For a moment, the two of them looked at each other as if they were communicating telepathically. Alison really wouldn’t have been surprised if they were.
‘Our topic was supposed to have been handed in today,’ Ada admitted at last. ‘We told Miss Mason we’d forgotten it and she said she’d give us an extra day. We told her we’d finished it.’
‘We nearlyhavefinished it,’ Hallie reminded her grandma, ‘so it wasn’t really a fib. But we’re going to be in big trouble if we take it tomorrow and she finds out it isn’t finished.’
‘Especially since we’ve had an extra day,’ Ada added.
Alison pursed her lips. ‘Let me guess where this is going. You want me to take you back home to pick up your project. Tonight.’
The twins gave her a pleading look.
‘We’re really sorry, Grandma,’ Hallie said.
‘We wouldn’t take very long to finish it,’ Ada promised. ‘And we’ll go to bed straightaway afterwards.’
Alison sighed. ‘I don’t fancy going back out now. I’m tired. I just want a night of peace and quiet.’
‘We’ll never be able to sleep for worrying,’ Ada told her. ‘We’ll probably keep you awake all night.’
Alison shook her head. For a seven-year-old the kid was an arch manipulator. She must take after her mother.
‘All right, all right, I get it,’ she muttered. ‘Grab your coats.’
The girls gave a whoop of relief and climbed down from their chairs. Alison collected the plates and dumped them all on the draining board, then grabbed her keys. So much for a restful evening.EndeavourandLewiswould have to wait. Again.
6
‘Oh, you like that, don’t you? You really do.’ Mac couldn’t help but smile as Ellen MacKenzie leaned into him while he scratched her side, his fingers raking through her thick, ginger hair.
The beautiful Highland cow, along with her son, Jamie Fraser (named because, as his mother had pointed out, he was a handsome red-headed Highlander, so what else could she call him?) had been his mother’s pride and joy.
According to the Fosters at Carr Farm, the tiny herd, or fold, of two usually grazed the field that edged the footpath along the banks of the Humber, devouring the grasses and fibrous plant matter and gazing out over the river, looking so magnificent and majestic that anyone walking beside Watersmeet would invariably stop to take photographs, exclaiming in surprise and wonder at such an unexpected sight.
In winter, though, the field sometimes became boggy, and the cows were transferred to the two-acre field that sat furthest away from the river. They were fed haylage in addition to their grazing, had a mineral lick and a supply of fresh water, and seemed quite happy together, taking cover when necessary in their purpose-built straw-bedded shelter.
The Fosters had assured him that Highland cows were hardy creatures and, compared with many breeds of cattle, easy to look after. If that was true, he dreaded to think how difficult it was to care for other breeds, given the extensive information sheets his mother had left for him about the various steps necessary to ensure their continuing good health. No wonder there were few farmers in Holderness who kept cows.
It seemed like an awful lot of responsibility to him. Although, as Ellen MacKenzie gave what sounded suspiciously like a loud sigh of pleasure and Jamie Fraser wandered over to find out what the fuss was about, he had to admit that the sight of these beautiful, placid creatures lifted his heart and made him feel that any hard work associated with their care would be worth it.
Maybe.
After leaving the barn to check on Jacob Armitage and Heatherstone, the two ageing New Forest ponies who were in a separate paddock with a shelter, he wandered to the large fenced-off area behind the garden where the five ex-battery hens lived, making sure they were securely fastened in for the night. The three ducks were also safely shut away. There were foxes around here and he didn’t want to be the one responsible for letting his mother’s beloved birds die an unnatural death.
With Alderman Mrs Beddows surprisingly at home and curled up by the fire, and Robert Carne trotting beside him, all the animals were accounted for and safe, but he had to admit there was a lot more to taking care of them all than he’d ever imagined. How had his mother coped on her own all this time?
He tried to ignore the familiar pang of shame that she’d had to. It wasn’t, after all, true. Not really. She’d had the Fosters, who’d been good friends to her. And Stella, of course. His sister had visited her regularly and had, no doubt, done what she could to help their mother, even though she had never approved of her taking in so many animals.
Stella had a good heart. He had to remember that.
He glanced down at Robert Carne, who stared back at him, clearly wondering why they’d suddenly stopped halfway down the garden path when the warmth and comfort of home was so close.
‘She deserves better,’ he mumbled to the little dog.
Carne turned to look at the house then back to him. He clearly couldn’t care less who deserved what. He was too focused on whathedeserved, which was a nice warm fire and a snooze on the sofa.
