‘And I need you to make a note in that book of yours to contact the bloke who shears the alpacas. They’ll need to be done just before the summer. The beginning of June should be fine. I’ll give you his details before we leave, so don’t worry about that. He knows what he’s doing.’
‘Dad, I don’t think three months is nearly enough time for me to prove myself here,’ she said as they walked together back down the field on their way to the farmhouse.
‘It depends on how you look at it.’
What was that supposed to mean? ‘I don’t understand.’
Her father stopped and turned to her. ‘I don’t expect you to be proficient in anything here, but I want to give you the opportunity to see for yourself that this isn’t the life for you.’
So that was it. Hurt by his lack of support, she struggled to think of a reply. Her father seemed to assume she had not wanted to answer and carried on walking home.
Lettie hurried to catch up with him. ‘You don’t think I’ll stick it out, is that it?’
He shook his head. ‘Not at all. In fact, I know you’re determined and believe you’ll do as you’ve said and show us all that you’re far better at farming than any of us expect.’
‘If that’s the case then why don’t you think this is something I might wish to continue doing?’
He didn’t speak for a few steps then stopped again. Taking her by the elbows, he smiled. ‘Sweetheart, I believe you can do whatever you set your mind to. I just don’t want you to feel obliged to stick with it because you’ve taken on this challenge. I want you to have a go, see what you really think, and how much pressure it is to run a farm of this size, and I don’t just mean the day-to-day stuff but finding workers to help during the busier times and whatever admin is required too.’
A thought occurred to her. ‘Would you be having this same conversation if I was Zac?’
He seemed affronted by her question. ‘Do you mean because he’s a boy, or for some other reason?’
‘Because he’s male and I’m not.’
Her father surprised her by laughing. ‘Lettie, I’ve been married to your mother for twenty-six years and lived in the same house as you for most of your life and I know without doubt that both you women are more than capable of running this place as well as or even better than me. Therefore, in answer to your question, no, I’m not saying this because you’re a girl. I’m saying this because I want you to have the freedom to be exactly what you imagined yourself being. I want you to live a good life and not have to struggle daily and be at the mercy of the unreliable British weather.’ He smiled ather. ‘Look, if running this place is that life, then we’ll have to figure something out with Leonard I want you to see for yourself exactly what it entails. All the nitty-gritty, greasy, hot and sweaty bits of it. Then, if you still feel that you want this, we’ll extend your—’ he thought for a moment ‘—probationary period and take it from there.’
Feeling much better to hear her father’s assurances, Lettie hugged him. ‘Thanks, Dad. I’m going to prove to you and Uncle Leonard that I do have what it takes.’
‘That’s fine. Just remember, if you change your mind no one will think any the less of you. You need to be honest with yourself about all this, Lettie. Promise me you’ll do that.’
‘I promise.’
They arrived back at the house and after removing their boots and washing their hands and faces both were seated at the scrubbed pine kitchen table that held so many memories of countless meals, and evenings when she and Zac struggled to do homework. Lettie ran her finger over an indent in the wood in front of where she sat, recalling getting into trouble with her mother when she had been caught pressing the nib of her blue biro into the grain several times to make an L. Now it was a familiar reminder of her happy childhood growing up in this place.
Whatever promises she had made to her father, she wasn’t nearly ready to give up on this farm yet.
‘You’re going on a cruise?’ Zac asked, his fork halfway to his mouth. ‘Since when did you two like cruising?’
‘There’s always a first time for everything,’ their mother replied, ruffling his hair and annoying him. ‘Anyway, we don’t need any smart comments from you. What we do need is your reassurancethat you’re not going to be away working on the mainland most of the time we’re away. We need to feel reassured that you’ll be around to help your sister if she needs you to.’ She looked at Lettie. ‘Although I’m fairly confident that she’ll manage perfectly well.’
‘I’ll do my best to, Mum,’ Lettie reassured her. ‘But thanks all the same.’ Wanting to take the attention off herself, Lettie asked, ‘Where have you booked to go?’
‘All over,’ their mother said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Their parents had taken short holidays each year, at least one, but had never gone on a cruise before. ‘We’re starting off in the Mediterranean, then instead of returning to Southampton we decided to change ships and go to Norway and up the fjords.’ She beamed at their father. ‘Your father and I have always wanted see that part of the world, haven’t we, Gareth?’
‘We have.’
He didn’t seem as certain as their mother, Lettie noticed. ‘They do look lovely,’ she said. ‘I was watching a documentary a few months ago on that area and it looked spectacular. I’m sure you’ll both love it.’
‘You see, Gareth,’ their mother said. ‘Even Lettie thinks it’s a perfect place to visit.’
Lettie ate a mouthful of her roast lunch. She wasn’t sure why her mother said ‘even Lettie’ or what that meant, but she let it go. Now wasn’t the time to cause any friction. Despite being anxious about them leaving her to run the farm alone, all she wanted was for her parents to be happy, go away and to enjoy themselves. It was the only way she would be able to prove to everyone that she could do it.
It occurred to her that they hadn’t mentioned a departure date. ‘When will you be going?’
‘When is it again, Lindy?’ her father asked.
Her mother gave him a meaningful glare. ‘Anyone would thinkyou weren’t excited about going away with me on this trip,’ she said before eating a mouthful of food. ‘We’ve only got another week before we go away.’
