Showered, dressed and having fed Spud, she carried her second cup of tea and a half-eaten piece of toast to the hall. Lettie pushed her feet into her boots and went outside to start work, wondering what the day might bring and hoping it was going to be a good one.
Having fed the animals and checked that the final potatoes were being harvested and packed ready to be driven to the harbour, she decided to pack up the eggs she had collected that morning. Lettiethought about Brodie and their kissing the previous evening. She had too much responsibility to contend with over the next two months while her father was away to be able to give much time to anything other than her duties to the farm and animals.
Lettie had a neat stack of moulded wood pulp filler trays, filled with the fresh organic eggs, when she heard Spud barking. Her thoughts interrupted, she then heard tyres pulling into the yard and turned to go and find out who had arrived. Her elbow knocked the corner of the stack and, shrieking in shock, Lettie lurched forward to try and catch the trays before they fell to the cement floor of the barn.
‘Noooo!’ They slipped through her fingers and she watched in horror as the eggs smashed, splattering their yolky goodness over the floor. Lettie clenched her teeth.
‘What’s wrong?’
Hearing Joe’s voice, Lettie looked at him in despair. ‘I’ve just knocked all these eggs onto the floor. Argh, I’m such an idiot. Now I’ll have to clean up this mess and call the village shop to let them know I won’t have their full order today.’
He walked over to join her and sighed. ‘I suppose my arrival interrupted you, didn’t it?’
She nodded. ‘I’m not sure why though. It’s not as if I wasn’t expecting you.’ She groaned. She already had too many jobs to try and get through without needing additional things to do taking up her time. She rubbed her eyes. ‘I’m going to have to clean this up straight away.’
‘Are those to be packed too?’ he asked indicating the baskets of eggs to the side of her.
‘Yes.’
‘I can help with this before shearing the alpacas. Why don’t I clean up this mess and you carry on packing those.’
She was tempted to agree but didn’t think it right to let a visitordo the mucky job. ‘No, it’s fine. I’ll clean up. I made the mess after all, not you.’
Joe grimaced. ‘But I was the one who surprised you, causing this mess. No, you tell me where to find the stuff to sort this lot out then I’ll get on with it while you pack the rest of those eggs. Then maybe you can take ten minutes’ break and sit with me outside.’
Not having the energy to argue, Lettie agreed. Having told him where to find the bucket, water, soap and other items he needed, she turned back to finish her packing while he cleared up for her.
Twenty minutes later they were sitting on the low wall in the warmth of the sunny yard, drinking cups of tea. Lettie leant back against the side of the barn behind the wall and closed her eyes. ‘I needed this.’
‘I’m sorry I interrupted your morning, and so messily too.’
She smiled. ‘It’s fine. You cleaned everything up and anyway it’s good to see you again.’
‘I’m glad you think so.’
She looked at the bag on the side she realised he must have brought in with him. ‘Are those the shears?’
‘They are. I thought that once I’ve shorn the alpacas I can help you here with some of your jobs.’
Lettie was touched by his thoughtfulness. ‘That’s so kind of you. The alpacas are in the smaller barn. I put them in the stalls in there earlier to keep them quiet. I’ll take you to them now.’
He picked up his bag and walked with her. ‘Having worked for my uncle on his farm I’m aware how much work there is. I have a few spare hours and would love to muck in and help you with anything I can.’
Touched by his thoughtfulness Lettie’s right hand flew to her chest. ‘Oh, Joe, that’s so sweet of you.’
He gave her a beatific smile. ‘We’ll my granny Sybil always said I was an angel.’
Lettie laughed. ‘I’m not so sure I’d go that far.’ She finished her tea and stood up. ‘I’d better get on with things. As it is I’m going to be working until quite late this evening.’
‘Tell me what you’re planning to do next and I’ll come and help you with it.’
They were back in the yard after he had finished shearing the animals and he had helped Lettie lead them to the nearest paddock, when she took his hand in hers and leant forward to kiss his cheek, just as a car pulled up and stopped in the yard. Brodie got out of his old Land Rover and Lettie saw him look her way, then glance down at her hand in Joe’s. She immediately dropped Joe’s hand and stepped forward. ‘Brodie? What are you doing here?’
‘I, um… Hi, Joe.’ He looked from Joe to her and seemed very awkward. ‘That is, I was checking to see if you had everything in hand. I mean, here on the farm.’
She realised Brodie was taken aback to see her with Joe and knew he was reading more into the situation than he should. ‘Would you like to join us? Have a cup of tea?’
Brodie shook his head, still holding onto his car door. ‘No. Thanks. Unless you need me to help you with anything,’ he added as an afterthought.
