When their guests were seated at the table and everyone had a cool drink, she turned to Zac.
He knew that look only too well. ‘You have a job for me, don’t you?’
Lindy took a sip of her drink and nodded. ‘I need you to help your sister finish clearing out the two attic bedrooms for Patsy and Melody.’
‘I’ve done most of the work,’ Lettie said, sitting at her usual seat. ‘It shouldn’t take us too long.’
Zac would have much rather done anything on the farm but clear out two attic rooms, especially on such a hot day. It must be at least thirty degrees, he reasoned. He wondered why his mother was mentioning this chore in front of their guests and then it dawned on him that she did it because he couldn’t refuse with Melody and Patsy sitting in front of him.
‘Sure.’ He drank his cold water.
‘Please don’t worry about sorting rooms for us,’ Melody said. ‘I’m sure Gran and I can do it. Just show us the way and let usknow where we can find bed linen. You’re bound to have more than enough to do today without preparing rooms.’
‘Not at all,’ Lindy argued. ‘We can’t expect you to do that.’
‘We really wouldn’t mind,’ Patsy assured her.
Zac wasn’t sure who was more determined to get their way, Patsy or his mother. ‘Why don’t the four of us get them ready,’ he suggested. ‘It would take half the time and then you can both have the rooms exactly how you think they’ll work best for you?’
Patsy finished her drink and stood. ‘That’s settled then.’
Lindy shrugged. ‘Fine by me. I still need to finish the packing for our trip but when I’ve done that I’ll prepare an early supper for us all so we can get to know each other a bit before Gareth and I need to leave for the airport.’
‘Great,’ Zac said, relieved they had all agreed. ‘Shall we go up to the attic then?’
Zac showed them up to the attic. ‘There are quite a few stairs, I’m afraid.’
‘Don’t worry about us,’ Patsy said. ‘We’re used to stairs. I live in a townhouse and my room is on the third floor so this will be fine. Anyway it’s all good exercise. We look forward to helping your sister on the farm, don’t we, Melody?’
‘Yes, we really do.’
Zac was relieved for his sister that she would have a couple of helpers and wondered what exactly she would be asking them to do.
They reached the top floor and standing in the hallway Zac indicated the two open bedroom doors. ‘Take your pick. I hope you’ll find them comfortable enough.’
Their guests entered a room each. He saw Melody enter the yellow bedroom and her face light up in a brilliant smile.
‘This is gorgeous,’ she said, gazing around the room.
‘After lying on a camp bed for a week this will be utter heaven.’ Patsy sighed, sounding equally delighted.
‘There’s only a shower on this floor, I’m afraid,’ he explained. ‘And it’s pretty tiny, but there’s a loo and basin in there, so I hope it’s OK.’
‘It’ll be fine,’ Melody assured him. ‘We’ve been used to an ablution block.’ She giggled. ‘Or at least that’s what Gran’s been calling it. I’ll be delighted to only have to share with her.’
When the women had chosen their rooms, Zac took each rucksack into the correct one and set it down on the chairs that Lettie had left there for them.
‘Towels are there,’ he said, pointing to the wooden towel rail underneath the window in Patsy’s room, ‘and there are extra in the airing cupboard downstairs. Just shout if you need me to find them for you. Um…’ He tried to think what else they might need. ‘I see my sister has left a tray with a few things on it for you.’ He looked at the carafe of water, a glass and a small tin containing, he presumed, some of his mother’s freshly baked biscuits. ‘I imagine your room has the same set-up,’ he said to Melody when he noticed her standing at the door.
‘It does. I think they’ve thought of everything.’
‘I feel thoroughly spoilt,’ Patsy said looking, Zac thought, extremely happy with the rooms and how they had been set up.
Aware they must want to unpack, Zac went to the door. ‘I’ll leave you both to settle in and will catch up with you later.’
‘Perfect. Thank you, Zac,’ Patsy said, unzipping her rucksack. ‘This is much more luxurious than we had expected and we’re very grateful to you all.’
‘We really are.’ Melody smiled at him and again he was transfixed by her unusual eyes.
