There was a breeze that swept up and down the hillsides that morning, changing their colours through shades of green and brown like a hand brushing up and down the nap of avelvet cloth. Where there was grass, it was starred by daisies and buttercups and all manner of other wildflowers, and where there were ridges of shrubs or trees, they were peppered with new buds or already heavy with blossom. If heaven did exist, Zoe decided as she walked towards Daffodil Farm, allowing the sun and the vista to clear her head and soothe her nerves, it had to look a lot like this.
Corrine met her at the door of the farmhouse and handed her a bag.
‘What’s that for?’ Zoe peered inside.
‘Your lunch, of course. I wasn’t sure about sandwiches, so I’ve done some ham and some cheese, and there’s a bottle of lemonade…Victor has a flask of tea big enough for both of you.’
Zoe laughed. ‘We’re only going to be out three hours. I could have had lunch afterwards.’
‘I was making for Victor anyway, so it was no bother. Fresh air can work up an appetite, especially with all that walking.’ Corrine ran a critical eye over Zoe, but it was filled with kindness and concern. ‘You’re sure you’re up to it? It’s quite a way.’
‘Of course I am! I’m looking forward to it. Everyone else has to pay – I get to trek with the girls for free, so I feel lucky!’
Corrine looked unconvinced, and Zoe offered a bright smile to reassure her. The fact was – whether it was down to the glorious morning, the fresh air, the escape from Hilltop or the prospect of spending three hours with Victor and his beloved herd – she felt lighter and better than she had in weeks. She felt more like her old self, fit and full of energy. She had an inkling that her well-being – physical and mental – might be like this for a while, up and down and not quite ever settling into one state or the other, but she was hopeful, with Simon’s help and a visit to a specialist, that would all improve eventually too.
Victor tapped her on the shoulder, and she flipped round to see him grinning from behind the beard that seemed bushierthan ever today, as if it was blossoming in solidarity with the countryside around them.
‘Am I late?’ Zoe asked, wondering if he’d started without her. She noticed there was straw on his collar and mud on his knees.
‘You’re all right, lass. I’ve been to the field to have a word with the girls, see which of them are up to the job today.’
Zoe grinned now too. ‘And who volunteered?’
He stroked his beard with that boyish look Zoe recognised well by now. ‘Ottilie, of course; like her namesake, she’s a grafter. Alice looks lively; so does Daisy. When I get the measure of the walkers, I’ll be able to decide who else to take.’
‘How many are we expecting?’
‘Eight. Two families, so that’s nice and neat.’
‘Are they coming here first?’
‘People park here in the yard – plenty of room. I’ll lead them up to the top field, and we’ll do the trek from there. Kids love to see all the alpaca, and sometimes I’ll let them choose which they go with…if I reckon they’re a good pairing, that is.’
‘Who am I getting?’
‘Nobody,’ Victor said. ‘Sorry,’ he added with a laugh. ‘There’s no need to look so put out! I could do with you free to keep an eye on everyone and help if they need it. I’m sure you’ll get plenty of petting time here and there with all of them, though.’
‘That’s the only reason I’m here, so I’d better,’ Zoe replied with mock affront. ‘And the sandwiches,’ she added, holding up her bag.
‘Aye, well, the sandwiches are a good-enough reason by themselves,’ Victor agreed with a fond look at Corrine, who puffed out a breath and rolled her eyes before going back inside, with a secret look of flattered pride that didn’t escape Zoe.
‘I’ll see you both in a few hours,’ she said before closing the door. ‘You’ll be coming in for tea when you’re done, won’t you, Zoe?’
It didn’t matter what Zoe’s reply was because Corrine wouldn’t have heard it, and so Zoe supposed it was an order rather than an enquiry. Not that she minded in the least. Today, standing here with a sweeping view of wildflower-strewn hills in every direction, fat clouds against a cornflower sky and the glittering basin of the lake nestled behind a curtain of trees down below, life looked bright and hopeful again. Whatever was coming, she could weather it – hadn’t the last few weeks already proved that? Yes, she decided as she followed Victor to the gate to look out for their guests, jogging to keep up with his brisk strides. Life was what you made it, and Zoe was going to make it good again or go down in flames trying.
When the families arrived and emerged from their cars, Zoe was vaguely perplexed to see that the four children – three girls and a boy all between the ages of around six and ten – looked nothing alike. She’d assumed she’d be meeting two couples with two children each, but there was no way these ones could be natural siblings. The only boy had thick black hair and dark eyes, while the girl who got out of the same car had bright ginger hair and freckles peppered across her nose. The two girls in the other car were as dissimilar to one another and to the adults with them too. Perhaps someone had noticed her staring – and she’d realised afterwards that it had hardly been appropriate, but the situation had caught her by surprise. Victor, on the other hand, didn’t seem fazed at all, and only gave a sage nod as the explanation came, addressed specifically to Zoe.
‘We foster,’ one of the men said, shooting a brief smile at the woman by his side, who returned it with a warmth that made it obvious they were an item. ‘This is Iris…’ He lightly patted the freckled girl on the shoulders, and the girl gave Zoe a shy acknowledgement. ‘She’s been with us for about eighteenmonths. And then, a few months ago, Joseph came to live with us. Say hello, Joseph.’
The boy grinned, but before Zoe could greet him, he dashed off to chase a brightly patterned butterfly. The man rolled his eyes. ‘His attention is like gold dust, but we get there eventually.’
The woman of the other couple added to the explanation. ‘Us too. In fact, we met Alan and Linda through the fostering support network, and we all became really good friends. ‘We’ve had Kiera for about a year and Daffodil for six months.’
‘Daffodil?’ Victor gave a gruff smile as he kneeled to speak to the little girl. ‘That’s a good name. Like my farm – Daffodil Farm.’
The little girl grinned in delight while Alan chased down Joseph and persuaded him to rejoin the party with gentle words of encouragement and promises of imminent alpaca introductions.
There were more polite exchanges where Zoe introduced herself and explained that she was only helping for the day, and then Victor gave the signal for them to follow him to the alpaca enclosure. When they got there, he assigned one to each of them, instructing the children with careful patience on the best way to hold the rope and how to lead, though in reality none of his girls needed leading – they’d happily trot along and follow where Victor went.
