from a friend of a friend who was remodelling their garden, which has proved ideal. Alan has supervised the sawing of the planks and nailing them together. No one has lost a finger or an eye, so that’s all good. Now the kids are all suitably overall-clad and are painting them up in rainbow colours. You’d think that it might be a nice activity, a change from things involving mud and manure, but they’re all squabbling like mad. There’s paint everywhere – more on the kids than the planters. Lucas is supposed to be in charge, but I see him flick his hood up on his sweatshirt and march off across the fields. Clearly he’s had enough of them. My instinct is to follow him, but perhaps it would be good for him to have a bit of time on his own, so I let him be.
Aurora has been here a few times since ‘that night’ but she’s more cautious around me now and they disappear straight into Lucas’s bedroom the minute she arrives. I try not to stress over the amount of giggling that I hear through the closed door. I can’t watch him every minute of the day and I know that he sees her at the poetry nights too. I have my fingers crossed that it all works out well for him.
The only light relief is that Alan and Bev are still so loved up. It’s a joy to see. There’s a sparkle in Bev’s eyes that has been missing for a long time and who would have thought that our strong, silent Alan would have been the one to rekindle her flame. I tell you, the world is a strange place. The whole love thing is even more weird. They say that love makes the world go round, but I’m not so sure. It just seems to fuck it up, if you ask me.
Currently, Alan and Bev are canoodling by the Kunekune pigs. Well, Bev is twined round Alan coochy-cooing at him, while he grins benignly at her. It brings a smile to my own face too.
Bev turns round. ‘That’s known as voyeurism, Molly.’
‘I can’t avoid it.’ I laugh. ‘You two are like teenagers.’ And I should know, having recently experienced teenagers in action.
Of course, I confided all about Lucas and Aurora to Bev and she assured me that I’d done the correct thing. I hope she’s right as I rely on her greater experience in these matters.
‘I’m telling him what a lucky man he is.’
‘He is,’ I agree. ‘However, if you can put each other down for a moment, there’s work to do.’
‘You spoil all my fun,’ Bev complains. Nevertheless, she gives Alan one last kiss.
‘Better get back to kids before they kill each other,’ Alan adds.
‘I was coming to tell you that Lucas has abandoned them and gone walkabout,’ I say.
‘Want me to find him?’ Alan asks.
I shake my head. ‘He probably needs a bit of time to calm down. If he’s not back in time for lunch, I’ll go and look for him.’ Like most teenage boys, Lucas runs on stomach time. As soon as he’s hungry he’ll return.
So Alan heads off to referee the arguments and bickering while Bev comes with me. We link arms as we walk across the farmyard, three dogs and two guard geese in tow. Betty Bad Dog is trying to bite the geese but they’re having none of it. If she carries on, I know who’ll come off worse.
I squeeze Bev. ‘It’s so nice to see you two happy.’
‘He’s moving in with me,’ she confides.
‘Wow. That’s good news. And a big step for you.’
‘Yeah. I’ve tried him out and found him sufficiently domesticated. He’s going to put his cottage up for rent. With a bit of luck, we could even be together for Christmas.’
‘That’s lovely.’
‘What are you and Shelby up to over the holiday?’
‘I don’t know,’ I admit. ‘He says that he’ll be back from his stint in panto by then. In the nick of time. It only finishes on Christmas Eve, so a quiet one at home, I guess.’
‘He’ll want you to spend it at Homewood Manor.’
‘I expect so.’ The thought fills me with dread. How will I look after all the animals? I can’t leave them alone.
‘Your van isn’t the most festive place,’ Bev scolds.
‘I could pretty it up.’ I grimace. ‘Lights and stuff.’
‘Don’t sound so flipping enthusiastic.’
‘This is more your kind of thing. Help me. What shall I do?’
‘We could go shopping this afternoon.’