point. But the fertiliser could leach from one part of the farm to another; and, anyway, maybe Frank used Multiplier on Meg’s part of the farm behind her back. He was always greedy for extra produce.
Meg laughed uncomfortably. ‘That do sound really daft, put like that. Reckon what Don keep saying about the stock be getting to us.’ She took a deep breath in, her eyes solemn. ‘But there be something yer should know. Something I never told you-’
‘Lisa? Is everything OK?’
She could hear Alec bounding up the stairs, back home as fast as he could make it. She was delighted to hear his voice.
‘Oh, hello Meg. Helping us out again?’
‘Just brought Seb back, Alec. Well, us’d better run. Yer be knookered out, and Sally and Jean’ll be getting they twins their tea. Us likes to be there to see to they.’
‘We really can’t go on making use of Meg,’ Alec said as soon as she’d gone. ‘I’ve been on to the agency. They can’t find us a nanny. They say we’re just too far out in the sticks.’
‘I see.’ Lisa wasn’t sure whether to be depressed or relieved.
He grinned, obviously pleased with himself. ‘I did have a bit of luck about a mother’s help, though.’
‘I thought you just said they didn’t want to work in the country.’ Lisa broke away from him, familiar churning in her stomach making her tense and unyielding.
‘Not the agency girls. Useless, really. No, at the office, of all places.’ He beamed. ‘I suppose I was bragging a bit. Anyway, old man Carruthers was there, chairing the meeting with the Yanks. He sounded really taken with the whole business of the new arrival, asked me all kinds of questions.’ He grinned again. ‘He’s only got one baby daughter. I suppose he felt inferior for once.’
‘Carruthers? You mean the man you work with at Flaxton? Rather a bimbo for a second wife?’
‘That’s the one.’
So that was it. Alec was proud of his sudden brood - macho father of triplet sons. ‘Questions? What did he want to know?’
‘How we know for sure that they’re identical. That really got to him.’
‘So what did you say?’
‘Told him about that little mark on their ear. He really saw the force of that. Went over the ground time and again.’ Alec grinned delightedly. ‘Then he told me his niece is absolutely potty about young children. Marvellous with them, by all accounts.’
‘His niece? Wouldn’t she be too young?’
‘Not really. Remember, Diana’s his second wife. He was talking about his sister’s daughter. They live in Wedmore. It’s absolutely ideal. She could cycle over, or one of her parents can drop her off. At a pinch I could always pick her up myself.’
‘So how old is she?’
‘Just on sixteen, he said.’ Alec hugged her shoulders. ‘You smell of new-mown hay without the ghastly pollen that goes with it.’ He stood up and walked over to the triplets’ cots. ‘Excellent family background and all that; nothing to worry about there. And simply adores babies.’
‘Why isn’t she studying for something?’
‘Bit of a dunce at school, apparently. They think a good reference from people like us would help her get into a training school for nannies. Her GCSEs are hopeless.’
It might just suit, Lisa thought to herself. A professional nanny would expect to take over the children’s care, decide for herself whether the triplets wore identifying bracelets or not. No, an unqualified young girl, not too bright, willing to learn from Lisa, someone who adored children, that could be just the thing.
‘I suppose we’d better give her a try,’ Lisa agreed, settling back luxuriantly. ‘As you say, we can’t take advantage of Meg’s good nature for ever.’ Far too shrewd. She’d worm things out of Seb, put two and one together. A mother’s help would serve to keep Meg at a distance, make sure she didn’t see too much of the triplets, let alone air those impossible theories of hers.
And what about Don? The man obviously knew what was happening on the farm, suspected it had to be connected with the new fertiliser. And if Don suspected, Frank must, too. Was that why the launch of Multiplier had been delayed so long?
She shrugged that away. Whatever was happening on the farm wasn’t connected with her. After all, Dr Gilmore had accepted James’s late arrival. No, she was safe. Don wasn’t likely to go against what had been accepted by the medical establishment. He could only speculate about her children, he couldn’t possibly prove anything.
Alec suddenly cupped her